CRISiSLab hosted an insightful webinar that highlighted an exciting topic: Canada's Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system. The session was led by Alison Bird, a seasoned seismologist with over 20 years of experience in the field. Alison's career began in 1997 at the International Seismological Centre in England, where she perfected her skills before shifting her focus to Canadian earthquakes in 2000. In 2020, she took on the role of Liaison and Outreach Officer for the Earthquake Early Warning project, playing a pivotal role in the establishment of Canada's EEW system.
During the webinar, Alison provided a deep dive into the history of seismic activity in Canada, a country that experiences a significant number of earthquakes each year. Seismic monitoring in Canada dates back to 1898, and today, around 5,000 earthquakes are recorded annually. Alison highlighted the major earthquake in Canada—a magnitude 7.8 quake that struck off the coast of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, on October 28, 2012.
Given the frequency and severity of these seismic events, Alison emphasised the importance of having an EEW system in place. Such a system, she explained, can provide critical seconds of warning, allowing people to take protective measures that can significantly reduce the impact of strong earthquakes.
The Canadian EEW system officially became operational in British Columbia in May 2024, with plans to expand to eastern Canada by autumn of the same year. Canadians can now receive EEW alerts directly on their smartphones, advising them to take protective actions—such as "Drop, Cover, and Hold On"—when an earthquake is detected. The audience was particularly fascinated to hear about the TP alerting system, which can trigger automated responses during an earthquake, such as halting trains, sounding alarms in operating rooms, diverting aircraft from landing, and stopping traffic on bridges or in tunnels.
The webinar concluded with a lively Q&A session. Participants asked probing questions about data transmission challenges following an earthquake, system latency, communication delays, and how to reach vulnerable populations. In response to a question about data transmission, Alison acknowledged the difficulties in transmitting data when cell towers are down and mentioned that telecommunications companies are working to enhance their systems to address this issue.
As the webinar came to a close, it was clear that the discussion had sparked a great deal of interest and concern among the participants. The event was a resounding success, and we look forward to bringing you more fascinating insights from our lab in the future. Stay tuned for more stories from CRISiSLab!
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