These islanders know the secrets to dealing with long power outages
Flashlights are important — but so is community
Residents of Thetis Island, B.C., say there's nowhere they'd rather be in a disaster than their remote community — because they're ready.
The island of approximately 500 people is a 30-minute ferry ride from Vancouver Island and is used to being left in the dark.
When storms whip through the island region and knock down transmission lines, Thetis is often one of the last communities to get power restored.
Jeannine Caldbeck, the chief of the island's volunteer fire department, says it's normal for power to be out for a few days at a time in the winter — like it was after the bomb cyclone storm in mid-November — and it can even last more than a week.
Which means residents are prepared and have lessons those in the city could learn from.
B.C. Hydro has warned there may be more outages this winter as drought-weakened trees are more likely to fall.
"I think that people in the cities think that they're going to get a lot of people helping them, especially when we get the big earthquake," said Caldbeck, '[but] I would very much prefer to be in this community."
While a major earthquake is a much bigger disaster than a multi-day power outage, Caldbeck says the principles are the same: have extra food and water on hand, know how to look after yourself and know your neighbours so you can support each other.
In a rural setting, that can mean knowing who to call when you need a chainsaw or an extra set of hands to help move a fallen tree.
But it can also mean knowing who has a generator or a wood stove or who might need extra help.
Jaime White owns Telegraph Harbour Marina with his family. While he's new to Thetis, he knows plenty about preparing for winter after growing up in northern British Columbia.
"Get to know your neighbour before the power is out because you want to know what they need," advised White.
You might learn, for example, that your neighbour doesn't have a way to heat food if the power is out — but if you do, you can make sure to have extra food on hand for them.
To Ann Dickie, it comes down to community and coffee.
She's the president of the Thetis Island Community Association, which runs the island's community centre.
The centre was designed to be fully sustainable for two weeks without power, using generators to operate lights, heat, water, Wi-Fi, and a kitchen.
On days when the power goes out, the hall is open during daytime hours to provide hot drinks, snacks, and a place to gather. Over extended periods, it'll also provide meals.
They're working towards being able to provide towels and washcloths for showers, too, as well as mats so people can sleep in the hall.
Dickie said that even though some people on the island have their own generators, what they're often looking for in emergencies is connection — especially because power outages can be paired with a loss of internet and cell service.
"There's a loneliness that comes with the disconnect," said Dickie.
"You see things that you don't normally see, like people connecting with people they don't usually talk to, and they're just sitting around the table with a cup of coffee."
People on Thetis agreed: having a way to make coffee when the power is out is key.
They also recommended not procrastinating on power-reliant chores in winter so you don't get caught without clean laundry.
To hear more about how Thetis residents manage power outages, listen to the latest episode of This is Vancouver Island — a podcast about the good, the bad, and the quirky of life in the island region.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
