Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins experienced both asides of the tsunami alert that woke many Vancouver Island residents in the wee hours of this morning.

As a leader, and as an evacuee.

As the head of the municipality she was concerned that the TownshipB次元官网网址檚 emergency response systems worked the way they were supposed to. But as a resident of a float home in West Bay, which could be very vulnerable in the event of a tsunami, she joined her husband and their neighbours in packing a bag and moving to higher ground, in this case the Esquimalt Recreation Centre.

B次元官网网址淚 felt it went quite smoothly,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓veryone seemed calm, they seemed prepared. As we went around, staff had given me the sense we had about an hour to be out. We were waking people from dead sleep telling them B次元官网网址榶ou need to get out,B次元官网网址� liveaboards as well. But there was no panic, it was an orderly evacuation.B次元官网网址�

RELATED: Tsunami warning ended for Greater Victoria

EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 emergency preparedness people were at the centre ready to receive about 35 people, many of whom were alerted by members of the Esquimalt Fire Department who were patrolling coastline neighbourhoods. Another 50 or so gathered at marinas in Esquimalt.

Despite their efforts, some people didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to get the alert.

According to Desjardins, many residents of Esquimalt count on the Department of National Defence sirens at CFB Esquimalt, but they didnB次元官网网址檛 go off.

B次元官网网址淪o thatB次元官网网址檚 something that for our community we have to understand and follow up because there seems to be a couple of community expectations that that is a signal for us,B次元官网网址� she said.

Capt. Jenn Jackson, base public affairs officer with CFB Esquimalt, said they didnB次元官网网址檛 sound the alarm because the tsunami threat wasnB次元官网网址檛 imminent and they didnB次元官网网址檛 want to cause a panic.

B次元官网网址淚n consultation with Emergency Management B.C. and other sources such as CUS Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it was determined that the threat to Victoria was not imminent and that continued monitoring of the effects further north would give us ample time to sound the alarms if needed,B次元官网网址� she said, adding if the threat was imminent to Victoria, then the sirens would have been sounded.

RELATED: Between 25 and 30 homes evacuated in Colwood

City of Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps praised the response of local emergency officials, but nonetheless urged residents to sign up for the cityB次元官网网址檚 alert system VicAlert.

B次元官网网址楾he most important takeaway is that everybody should sign up for Vic-Alert,B次元官网网址� he said.

Helps found about the alert at 2:30 a.m. and spent her morning at the emergency operations centre that the municipality had set up at VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Fire Hall #1 from where senior staff monitored the situation and issued alerts via social media, email, and even landlines.

B次元官网网址淚 felt very safe,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e had a run-through for this [near the start of the current term]. Everything went exactly as planned. Our staff was calm. I was calm.B次元官网网址�

While City of Victoria staff did not evacuate any individuals, staff were prepared to handle evacuees, if necessary, Helps said.

Victoria does not have a siren system, and Helps warned against rushed calls for such a system. B次元官网网址淵ou need to be very careful to place [such a system] in urban areas,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that they can cause confusion.

So did Victoria dodge a bullet here? B次元官网网址淚 guess you can say it that way,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad our residents are safe.B次元官网网址�