{"id":13081,"date":"2025-05-26T13:27:39","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T20:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/?p=13081"},"modified":"2025-05-26T13:27:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T20:27:40","slug":"community-spotlight-coastsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/community-spotlight-coastsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Community Spotlight: CoastSmart &#8211; know before you go"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Community Spotlight series highlights communities, organizations and individuals using innovative approaches to build resilient communities. <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/\">CoastSmart<\/a> is a public education program on Vancouver Island\u2019s west coast. It helps residents and visitors understand shoreline hazards and encourages respect for the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Know your hazards before heading out on your next road trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Tofino and Ucluelet are popular tourist destinations that see about 1 million visitors every year. This means public education is key to ensuring residents and visitors stay safe while recreating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/\">CoastSmart<\/a> is an incredible preparedness resource for surfers, stand\u2011up paddleboarders (SUPers), storm watchers and beach walkers. They are active on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/coastsmart\/\">social media<\/a> and work directly with surf shops, hotels and visitor centres to share information about hazards like <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/hazards\/moving-logs\/\">moving logs<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/hazards\/rip-currents\/\">rip currents<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/hazards\/cold-water\/\">cold temperatures<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/hazards\/tsunami\/\">tsunamis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also standardized signage along the coast with recognizable hazard symbols, information on who to call in the case of an emergency and a location code to help emergency services to find people quickly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"666\"   data-print-width=\"25\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3-1024x666.jpg\" alt=\"Two large signs with information about coastal hazards are standing next to a trail leading to the coast.\" class=\"wp-image-13123\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3-1024x666.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3-768x499.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3-1536x998.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/923\/2025\/05\/CoastSmart-sign-3.jpg 2040w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learn from the locals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Izzy and Ali from CoastSmart understand that safety messages must reach people without scaring them away. The preparedness message needs to be fun and engaging while maintaining a serious tone. The water may look inviting in summer, but the ocean is unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To strengthen their message, they\u2019ve partnered with <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/network\/ambassadors\/\">local ambassadors<\/a> to empower people to know before they go. You can hear from folks like <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/network\/ambassadors\/#raph\">Pro surfer Raph Bruhwiler<\/a>, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/network\/ambassadors\/#charles\">Hotel managing director Charles McDiarmid<\/a> and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/network\/ambassadors\/#shandy\">Lifesaving instructor Shandy Kariatsumari<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CoastSmart Ambassador: Shandy Kariatsumari\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0aWXObtOW_8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Become CoastSmart today!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know about 20 per cent of people who drown either <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/hazards\/slips-trips-falls\/\">slip, trip or fall<\/a> into the water? They never intended to get wet. Be sure to check conditions and scan for hazards before any near-water activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Test your knowledge with the <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/how-to-be-coastsmart\/\">CoastSmart quiz<\/a> and earn an \u201cI am CoastSmart\u201d digital badge. Share the badge with friends and challenge them to become CoastSmart too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get prepared<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter where you\u2019re planning to visit this spring and summer, it\u2019s important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/safety\/emergency-management\/preparedbc\/build-an-emergency-kit-and-grab-and-go-bag\">be prepared<\/a>. Take these actions ahead of your next trip:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Explore <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/safety\/emergency-management\/preparedbc\/know-your-hazards\/hazard-map\">PreparedBC\u2019s hazard map<\/a> to identify potential hazards in the places you plan to visit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/safety\/emergency-management\/preparedbc\/build-an-emergency-kit-and-grab-and-go-bag#grab-and-go\">grab-and-go bag<\/a> in your car and <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/safety\/emergency-management\/preparedbc\/make-your-plan\">emergency contact numbers handy<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stop at a visitor centre or ask your accommodation provider about evacuation routes, muster points or other local emergency information you should be aware of<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discover local resources like <a href=\"https:\/\/coastsmart.ca\/\">CoastSmart<\/a> to support your planning and learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow <a href=\"http:\/\/www.emergencyinfobc.ca\">EmergencyInfoBC.ca<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EmergencyInfoBC\">@EmergencyInfoBC<\/a> on X for real-time updates during emergencies in B.C.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have fun and enjoy exploring B.C!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Community Spotlight series highlights communities, organizations and individuals using innovative approaches to build resilient communities. CoastSmart is a public education program on Vancouver Island\u2019s west coast. It helps residents and visitors understand shoreline hazards and encourages respect for the ocean. Know your hazards before heading out on your next road trip Tofino and Ucluelet [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":981,"featured_media":13132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,27],"tags":[117,47],"class_list":["post-13081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-spotlight","category-preparedness","tag-community-spotlight","tag-preparedness"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"mfb_rest_fields":["aioseo_notices"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/981"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13081"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13127,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13081\/revisions\/13127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/emergencymanagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}