EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

dddEsperanza is amazing.  A spectacular location on the rain-drenched west Pacific coast of Vancouver Island, nestled beneath imposing overgrown cliffs that meet tranquil sea channels. About 10 acres split by a stream, naturally carved from the rugged shoreline in view of Nootka Island. The location is very near where Captain Cook first dropped anchor in western Canada on his third voyage to find the illusive Northwest Passage. He met and traded with the natives and charted these waters before sailing north to present day Alaska and then west to Hawaii, where he was unceremoniously killed. 

Originally a hospital that served the First Nations communities along the rugged Canadian west coast, Esperanza has evolved into a counseling, training, and retreat center for this sparse but needy indigenous population. The site now has about 15 buildings for staff and guest housing and support services. At first glance, Esperanza looks like a typical coastal camp. But with one distinction. Every piece of material for every building has been brought in by boat or barge.

Here’s the uniqueness of Esperanza, and why it’s my chosen ‘bug-out’ location in the event of major disaster. As noted, it is only accessible by boat. This means isolation. Four staff families currently live there and, although they are not self-sufficient, they could be in an emergency — for the following reasons: The site has fresh water (i.e. the stream) coming from high off the mountain. This serves multiple purposes.  The water is clean and drinkable off the hillside. The elevation allows for pressurized tap water directly out of the pipes. Also, a flume of water from a small high dam diverts water into a small turbine, called a Peltham Wheel, that turns a generator and provides electricity for all the buildings.  In addition, all homes have wood burning stoves that allow for both heating and cooking, if necessary, and an enormous supply of firewood is available in the extensive backyard forests. As well, land is available for gardening, including a greenhouse. I saw no domestic animals, such as chickens or cows, but this would be possible. Fish and some seafood are abundant offshore. Perhaps even some game animals in the woods.

So I a nutshell, Esperanza provides all the services and amenities needed for not only surviving but living comfortably during a full blown disaster. It is sustainable with renewable water, electricity, heat, hygiene, shelter, and food. Other supplies can be and are readily stockpiled, such as fuel, canned goods, and medicine. A community that lives simply is already is there, which is important, because we need each other’s support during such a time.  It comes a long way toward a location that could give several weeks or months of respite after a major event that rocks our comfortable and fragile North American society.  

I don’t advocate that you become a ‘prepper, forecasting imminent doom and gloom and spiraling into a ‘bunker mentality’. But I wish you would consider the ‘what ifs’ in this tenuous, unpredictable world. If something catastrophic occurred, what would you do? Where could you go? What could you do now to prepare?   I trust that one day you will have your own Esperanza.

Thanks for reading.

Monty