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Friday's Evacuation Plan E-mail from the Canadian Embassy
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 12:48 am    Post subject: Friday's Evacuation Plan E-mail from the Canadian Embassy Reply with quote

A certainly curious e-mail arrived this afternoon in the inboxes of those of us who registered with the Canadian embassy. It's the new "Emergency Evacuation Plan" for Canadian citizens. The cover letter says it's "in the event of a local crisis such as a natural disaster". However, the attached Word documents go further: "This Plan, for use by Canadians, will be activated in the event of a military emergency or natural disaster."
I'm sure it's prudence, but it's really a bit unsettling.

The document tries to put the reader's mind at ease as it discusses the apocalypse: "The chance that an evacuation might be necessary is rather remote." Whew. They were getting me worried there.

There are some interesting details:
1. Canada and the US have a help-each-other agreement, which could mean that Canadians may be instructed to head to USFK bases. The document warns that the USFK will assist American citizens first, and us later if there's any room left. Fair enough. I'll just wait for one of our Sea Kings to come get me.

2. At some point during the evacuation, a little man from the Canadian embassy is going to ask me to sign an Application for Financial Assistance and a Promise to Repay, "manifesting my indebtedness to the Government of Canada for expenses incurred by it in effecting my evacuation." They want me to pay them back after ordering me home.

3. My Korean wife gets to come with me.

For the last few weeks I've been a guy trying to tell people not to get excited about this North Korea thing. I know a lot of folks have been anxious, and I've never believed it has been warranted. So what are they trying to do with this e-mail, right now? It's not the message as much as the timing that concerns me.

By the way, I've put the Word document on my web server, and I'll leave it there for the next day or two as a public service, helpful lemon that I am. Click here:
Emergency Evacuation Plan-Red Book


Last edited by The Lemon on Fri Jan 24, 2003 4:10 pm; edited 2 times in total
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jjurabong



Joined: 22 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 3:14 am    Post subject: relax... Reply with quote

I registered an address change last month at the site. At that time, I also asked about my new "gathering point" in case of emergency. At that time, I received an e-mail back telling me that they were updating the plan and would be getting it out in about a month. I think the timing is just coincidental. It actually should come as a relief, because last month, they couldn't even tell me where to go if anything did happen. I feel better now knowing that the plan is in place.
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Hyalucent



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: British North America

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:52 am    Post subject: New Year Reply with quote

After I requested it, they sent these documents out to me a couple of weeks ago. The only change I noticed was the addition, in the body of the email, of the name of my local warden.

Maybe there are quite a few of us who have been requesting them lately, and they figured they'd stop with individual replies and just send out a single, blanket notification to everyone.

But just to play Devil's Advocate, they could be sending them out now with the concern that the North could be planning something over the Lunar New Year weekend. There'll certainly be a lot of people on the roads and bogging down the transportation systems. *IF* something happened the chaos would be greatly inflated. I would assume they would also catch a large number of the military on leave.

... And it doesn't hurt to stock up on bottled water anyway.
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jsmac



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Gangwon-do

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since the DPNK insists that their beef is with the USA and not with South Korea or anyone else, it seems like maybe a US army base is the LAST place you should head for in the event of hostilities... And a 40 year-old Sea King would be a close second!
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Hank Scorpio



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jsmac wrote:
Since the DPNK insists that their beef is with the USA and not with South Korea or anyone else, it seems like maybe a US army base is the LAST place you should head for in the event of hostilities...


Not that anything is going to happen, because it won't, but where else would you go?

Don't make any mistakes about it, the US is your lifeline if you ever need evacuation. You may not like Bush, our foreign policy, or even our attitudes, but if the fecal matter ever does hit the fan, your best bet is to get your butt to an American base and wave your Canadian passport for dear life.
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hack



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Isn't life over here great? Not only do we have to put up with all the crap on a daily basis, now we gotta worry about this. Thank god for soju.
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Ajarn Miguk



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Location: TDY As Assigned

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 6:00 pm    Post subject: Time To Invest? Reply with quote

Based on what Lemon had to say about who gets priority in the event of an evacuation, it may be time for some folks to consider investing in USA flag patches? Just a thought.
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Guy Incognito
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What offends me is how penny-pinching the Canadian government is.

"Yeah, we'll save your life, but you have to pay for the gas." Disgusting.
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Hotuk



Joined: 10 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess it's to counter some taxpayer in Alberta complaining, "they left the country - it's their problem - why would we pay money to save them?"

I'd be less offended if we got Aeroplan miles out of it. Confused
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Dan



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Sunny Glendale, CA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

or you could pull out a north korean flag, claim defection and be given a heros welcome

korea Rolling Eyes

EDIT: this is a joke, and only a joke. defecting to north korea is NOT a recommended course of action (heck, defecting to south korea is not a recommended course of action)


Last edited by Dan on Fri Jan 24, 2003 8:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
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k-girls.com



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess there are many others places to go if it hits the fan, but I'm sorry... when the missles start flying the last place I'm going is to a US Airforce or Army base.

Those places will be the primary targets. As for relying on the Sea-Kings, I think most of them would break down on the way over (not that they can fly this far anway).

A word of advice: Don't show your parents the Cdn embassy's email, they're probably freaked enough as it is.
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Canadian Teacher



Joined: 22 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:56 pm    Post subject: This reminds me... Reply with quote

This reminds me of how popular it is with the 20 something set to hate the USA. Perhaps we should make a new slogan...

"I hate America but if the *hit hits the fan America can get me back to Canada and safety, so I can hate America there!"

As a Canadian, I am proud of our relationship with the United States. I am no great fan of the present administration but politicians come and go.

Canadian Teacher
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kimcheeking
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 8:23 pm    Post subject: Re: We ALL gotta pay Reply with quote

Rike wrote:
They also told me that I would have to pay for it. They also warned me that I would probably first be shipped to Japan, and who knows for how long. Guess who would have to buy my food and other essentials? Yup, me! There is no way to pack or prepare for something like that.


Visa Card. Keep it on you at all times. When you get shipped to japan... by a ticket home.
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CRH



Joined: 16 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2003 4:44 am    Post subject: Evacuation Plan Reply with quote

Hello
Has everyone had one of these email evacuation plans emailed to them?
My wife and I have both registered at the embassy and we haven't heard diddly squat...Talk about being bummed about not getting an invitation to a party....
Take it easy
CRH
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jsmac



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Gangwon-do

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2003 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hank Scorpio wrote:


Not that anything is going to happen, because it won't, but where else would you go?


Touche!

I was only being tongue-in-cheek, of course. But given my location, it really would seem foolish to head TOWARD Seoul if North Korea is hell bent on turning into a sea of fire. A ferry to Japan would make a lot more sense.

Although I could really use those Aeroplan miles...
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