DEEP

B.C. Housing's Rapid Damage Assessment Program - An Introduction
2026-03-05 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Dunbar Community Centre, 4747 Dunbar St, Vancouver, BC, V6S 2H2, Canada
Dunbar Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness (DEEP) invites you to its Annual General Meeting which features a presentation on B.C Housing’s Rapid Damage Assessment Program. The business portion of the meeting will be very brief, and will be followed by John Halldorson’s introduction to B.C Housing’s Rapid Damage Assessment Program.
Earthquakes, floods and windstorms can cause significant damage to structures, posing serious risks to occupants. Buildings should therefore be assessed for hazards following a disaster, to determine whether they can be safely entered or occupied.
As professionals may not be immediately available to evaluate the structure, it is important for building owners/occupants to have the skills and training necessary to conduct a Rapid Damage Assessment. B.C. Housing’s Rapid Damage Assessment program is designed to provide non-professionals with the basic skills to identify unsafe conditions in wood frame, masonry and concrete structures caused by floods, earthquakes or windstorms.
Join DEEP’s John Halldorson for an introduction to this program on Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Dunbar Community Centre (Room 202), 4747 Dunbar Street.

Workshop: Emergency Waste Management After a Disaster
2026-03-21 10:30 - 12:00 | Dunbar Community Centre, 4747 Dunbar St, Vancouver, BC, V6S 2H2, Canada
Disaster Sanitation DEEP – March 2026 rev
How Will You Manage Without Plumbing After a Disaster?
Dunbar Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness (DEEP) invites you to a 1.5-hour workshop on an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of disaster preparedness—creating a safe and effective waste management system when plumbing fails.
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 10:30 AM -12:00
Location: Dunbar Community Centre (Room 212), 4747 Dunbar Street
A major regional earthquake could severely damage our water and sewer systems, leaving communities without working toilets and plumbing for weeks or months. This workshop tackles the practical steps necessary to manage waste safely and hygienically when regular waste disposal systems are down.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ How to set up a sanitation plan for your home and neighbourhood
✅ Easy-to-find materials for safe waste disposal and handwashing stations
✅ How to create a backup system now so you’re prepared if disaster strikes
This workshop will equip you with practical skills to maintain hygiene and keep your household and community safe.
Registration is required as seating is limited.
We look forward to seeing you there. If this event books up, please consider joining our mailing list and keep an eye on our website to find out about our next events.

Wildfire/Emergency Preparedness Open House
2026-05-02 10:30 - 13:00 | Dunbar Disaster Support Hub, 4747 Dunbar Street, Vancouver, BC, V6S 2H2, Canada
With the 2024 construction blaze at 41st and Collingwood still in recent memory, local residents will be interested in learning how to prepare for the risk of house fires caused by a major earthquake or a forest fire in nearby Pacific Spirit Park.
Come with your family to the May 2 Wildfire and Emergency Preparedness Open House hosted by Dunbar Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness (DEEP) and FireSmart B.C.
Check out information booths and demonstrations from community partners including:

DEEP and VECTOR HAM radio operators
Pacific Spirit MedVents
Vancouver Fire Rescue and FireSmart BC
UBC Engineering Shake Table
Canadian Red Cross
Survive-It Disaster Preparedness
Total Prepare (a supplier of emergency preparedness products)
Metro Vancouver Emergency Management and Pacific Spirit Park Society
BC Hydro
KOM Community Policing Centre.

A small fire engine will also be on site for children to explore.
The event will take place at the Disaster Support Hub beside the tennis courts in the park behind the Community Centre, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This free event is made possible by funding support from the Province of BC, FireSmart Canada and Vancity.
Photo credit to John Denniston

Know the Risks - Be Prepared! North Shore Rescue presentation
2026-09-23 19:00 - 20:00 | St. Philip’s Anglican Church Gymnasium, 3737 W. 27th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6S 1R2, Canada
Many of us enjoy recreational activities in our local mountains. However, not all of us are prepared for the possible problems that can arise in the backcountry. Come learn the steps you and your family can take to stay safe when exploring local trails and wilderness.
In this session a lifetime member of North Shore Rescue will present examples of real incidents which have occurred over the years and will discuss preventative measures to ensure that you have up to date information about how to stay safe.
Preparation isn’t about guaranteeing nothing will go wrong. It’s about being ready when something does.
The presentation will also describe how rescue techniques have evolved using satellite communications, helicopters, search and rescue technology and advanced medical practitioners.
Wally Kerchum has over 25 years of volunteer service with North Shore Rescue. He has extensive experience with a wide range of rescues and has specialized training in rope rescue techniques. He now concentrates on Wilderness Safety Training and directs the team’s Trail Safety program.
