A question posted recently on Quora asked, “What is the worst incident conceivable in your response area?” Dan Cook, a 32-year fire service veteran, gave his opinion on the topic below. Check it out and add your own thoughts in the comments.
Where I was a firefighter before retiring, we had some major transportation corridors including the Trans Canada Highway and Rail Transport. Much of the cargo was being delivered to or being brought from the Port of Vancouver and New Westminster, B.C. or delivered there. A hazmat incident was always a danger.
We also had numerous high-rise buildings, but only three were un-sprinklered. Of course, living in a rain forest, we also had to worry about the interface fires during the dry summers. Our city is 52 square miles and goes from urban to alpine wilderness.
The worst possible scenario, however, would probably be a major seismic event. Not only would this cause damage to the infrastructure, but due to our steep terrain it would have caused landslides. Depending on the size and location of the event, it could also cause damage to or failure of the earthen dam above a sizable section of our city. There was also the possibility of a volcano although rather remote.
