BC Windstorm 2015

Now that the first wave of Windstorm 2015 is over, I would like to have a look back at how people in the city responded to the storm. 

  
First, if traffic lights are out you MUST use the four-way stop procedure. That means when you approach the intersection, you STOP!! Then you wait for your turn to proceed. 

Just because you are driving along a main street and the traffic lights are out does NOT mean that you can sail through at full speed. Yesterday while I was returning home I was absolutely shocked at people driving full speed through intersections without even slowing or looking to the side. 

And then the thing about the electricity being off. People, shit happens. Sometimes serious shit. Get used to it. This is what climate change is all about. Forget about global warming – it is climate change that you need to get used to. More frequent and more severe storms and weather events. 

Get used to extended droughts like we have had this summer. Get used to dry winters with very little snow in the North Shore mountains. And get used to windstorms that cause major power outages. Welcome to the consequences of climate change! 

Best thing you can do to prepare for power outages that are caused by climate change is to have a wind-up style flash light (like the kind my kids have) and a couple cases of Chef Boyardee canned ravioli to eat. 

And the fact that the BC Hydro website went down? Who gives a shit?! What do you want to check the website for? To have them tell you the power is off? Look outside. See all those trees knocked over by the wind? Branches laying on your car and shit on your porch from you don’t know where? That means there is a major windstorm happening or has happened and you can expect the power to be off for a few hours, maybe even 12 hours. So don’t open your fridge or freezer and get your head around the fact that you may be dumping all the contents of those fridges and freezers. 

So learn from this little practice run “disaster”. The next one could include the loss of running water. Let’s think about that and think about what you need to do get ready for that shit storm. 


Posted

in

by

Comments

One response to “BC Windstorm 2015”

  1. Peter Avatar
    Peter

    Hahahaha…. funny stuff. My buddy in Coquitlam said some of the coffee shops were actually giving out free coffee to those who couldn’t get money from bank machines. The bakery was giving out free bread. Looked like “walking dead” ghost town. Overall I think people helped each other out – that’s what it sounded like but still… lotta stupid people (blowing through lights). It was a lot worse than predicted. All the up-rooted trees from dry ground. Trees couldn’t hang onto the dust (soil).