Despite participating for the fifth straight year in Canada’s annual Great ShakeOut earthquake drill, Quebecers still do not know how to properly protect themselves in the event of a tremor, the
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has found.
The global Great ShakeOut event happened Thursday – one of several held throughout the year. Over 21.0 million people from all around the world participated in drills yesterday with about 987,000 Canadians signed up for this year, with 96,000 of those from Quebec. 2017 is Canada’s fifth year participating in the event, which was originally created nine years ago in Los Angeles, California. IBC has been a major sponsor of the event since.
Following the drill, the IBC published the results of a survey conducted by SOM. The study, which surveyed 1,000 Quebec residents, found that only 8% of the respondents knew the three steps (Drop, Cover, Hold On) to protect themselves during a quake.
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The survey also discovered that only 14% of participants knew that their homes could suffer damage from a quake. Over a third of respondents wrongly believed that their home insurance policy covers earthquake risk, while 38% said they did not know whether their policy did or not.
IBC’s study revealed that only 3% of those surveyed who have home insurance also have earthquake coverage.
“What the survey reveals, overall, is that Quebecers are not ready to deal with a major earthquake. Not only don’t they know what steps could protect their lives, but many also believe their home insurance policy covers them when it actually doesn’t,” commented IBC communications and public affairs director Pierre Babinsky
The IBC called for Quebecers to participate in the drill, or at least try again next year.
“This short simulation could make all the difference the day we are hit by a major quake. Those who practice the three steps, even if only once a year, will immediately know what to do during a quake,” said Babinsky.
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