Apart from keys, wallet, and phone, how much pre-planning do you do before walking out the door?

Do you carry an extra snack while taking transit? Grab a bottle of water in case you get thirsty on a hot day? Do you stash any first aid supplies in your bag before venturing out? 

It’s Emergency Preparedness Week and Coast Mountain Bus Company’s (CMBC) Emergency Management team exercises various types of security practices aligning with Transport Canada and our ongoing commitment to keep passengers and staff safe.

Matt Adams, the Assistant Manager of Emergency Management and Business Continuity, and his team are responsible for executing scenarios to best plan for SeaBus safety. From drill procedures like properly deploying life rafts to round-table discussions on how to deescalate a situation on board a vessel with a literal boat load of commuters – the team is ready to efficiently handle any situation that comes their way.

“That muscle memory of what to do and when to do it is the most important piece. So, you don’t have to learn about it at the time it occurs… we make sure that we have supplies on hand for every emergency,” Matt explained.

The team runs through simulated emergencies from start to finish to ensure that all elements of the customer journey are covered. 

“How do we get responders in? How do we get equipment? How do we get people off board? How do we get people home? Can we use a SeaBus to go somewhere else? We think of all that kind of stuff,” he says.

Matt said the leadership and command aspect, while understanding who is accountable for each role, is a major key in emergency preparedness  — but customers can also play a part.

How you can be prepared

“Make sure you’re personally prepared when travelling on transit. Know where your emergency exits are. How do you get on and off or in and out of our facilities? It is really important for passengers to know their surroundings,” says Matt.

At TransLink our commitment to you is to deliver a transportation system that promotes your health, safety, and security. We encourage you to think about how you can be ready in case of an emergency.

When using public transit, if you see something, say something — report any unusual behavior or incidents to a uniformed transit employee or by texting Metro Vancouver Transit Police at 87.77.77. For anything else, tweet our Customer Information team at @TransLink or call 604.953.3333.