2010 Earthquake In Toronto - My Master Survival Plan Suddenly Changed

It all happened yesterday - June 23, 2010. It was a definitely very strange day. I can spot them, but I don't know what will happen. In my case there is usually a strange sense of emptiness, and definitely a string of strange dreams which I had for a whole week. It feels like you are in the bubble, and hear nothing. It happened to me when my aunt died, when the Nimrod crashed back in 1995, and many more other instances.

It was a hot humid day - that was my blame. But there was more. Before lunch, I met up with other women so my son can play with children. In total we had eight to watch. They were all disturbed. Crying, running away, not sharing, pushing each other. I blamed on the hot humid day.

Lunch time. We all cleaned up driveway and went home. My son ate lunch, but then around 1 pm he started to get angry, nervous and cried. I couldn't get a word out of him what was wrong. He talks for a two year old, but still, not this time. Glad that daddy called, so finally he calmed down.

By 1:30 pm Matthew was asleep. I quickly run down to get fruit snack - a sweet juicy watermelon (best fruit for the hot weather). About 1:45 pm, just reading emails. Strange feeling passes through my body first, and then my desk started to vibrate and the vibration is increasing. I didn't kick the desk. I had my hands beside me. The second I saw it - I knew it was an earthquake. Once you experienced one (about 10 years ago), you will remember it forever. This was my second one.

Toronto Earthquake

Calmly I walked over to my son's bedroom. On the way I turned off the ceiling fan - well just in case, you don't want one of those turning and falling on you. I peeked in the bedroom - Matthew was sleeping, bed was moving. I moved closer, and then I saw more shaking, and now Matthew's whole body was vibrating with the bed. Time to act. I only live in the two floor house, so probably being outside away from the building was better place to be. I took Matthew and walked down to the first floor. By the time I got there, it was all gone. It all lasted for about 20 seconds.

I called my husband. 'Did you feel this?' - he said. 'Yes I did' - I replied. 'What was that?' - he asked. I don't remember what I said, but I turned on the TV and there was the breaking news from CP24 - Earthquake shakes Toronto. The conclusion was - 5.0 earthquake shakes Toronto and the surroundings, including my town, Aurora.

Now they are calling for aftershocks. Well I don't know if anyone felt them, but I definitely got them inside me.

I look back.

I had this master plan. I always do - part of my preparedness for earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires. We all should have some kind of emergency plan. So 'our' plan is to calmly move to safe place depending on the situation. But I always have this 'room or extra time' in my mind for saving my personal belongings.

I look back.

What happened? Okay it wasn't an earthquake of a huge magnitude, but I didn't know that at that time. I headed for my son, and he was my priority. I didn't think once saving anything personal. My master plan definitely changed for better, and I was happy with myself, and the decision I made. On the end we all will make the right decision in case like that.

A Plane Crash I Will Never Forget

I was one of the witnesses when British air plane RAF Nimrod crashed into Lake Ontario during the International Air Show in Toronto on September 2nd, 1995. I wish I didn't witness. Why? Because 7 people died, 7 young men died and no one could do anything. Few years later, on September 11th, 2001 in horror I watched live news at home when the New York World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists and eventually collapsed. Thousands of people died. Two incidences 6 years apart, one pure accident a human error, and another one evil human choice.

The story goes on. I liked going to air shows. Every year about 2 weeks before I would get impatient about the Labor weekend air show. Little things like - which day should we go, where should we sit or will it rain? That year in 1995, something unusual was happening to me all week long before the air show. I was having these dreams about air plane landings near GTA airport. These white and red mid size air planes were flying over the highway and were landing on the Pearson International Airport, Toronto. It felt strange, but then I thought, I am getting impatient again and may be just because I pass by airport too often. Perhaps that is why the air plane dreams were sparked.

Finally we, my boyfriend then and husband now, decided to take on the Saturday show. It was the first day of the air show. That day Saturday turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. That morning I woke up and I was little edgy and excited. I told my mom, you will not believe what I dreamed about. An air plane crash and it crashed in front of our old house where I used to live when I was still in elementary school. It wasn't that bad of a crash, and I could not see if anyone died. I only saw a big round pointy tip of the plane, shadowing the whole front yard and the house. The smoke made impossible to see more detail. That morning my boyfriend quietly listen to this story on the other side of the phone.

We arrived at the CNE by noon. Passed through pathways full of people. Once in a while an army cadet would come up to us and try to sell us the air show program. 'Air Show Program for Sale', 'Air Show Program for Sale' - he kept yelling out loud. We passed on the first offer, but then gave in on the second offer, so we purchased the air show program for five bucks. We found perfect spot to watch the show. A spot that gave us nice view for free. It was sunny, very hot, but the breeze from Lake Ontario kept us cool.

Everything was going well. Planes flew back and forth, peoples heads moving back and forth. I particularly liked fighter jets like the F16 or Stealth leaving thunder like sound behind. I forgot all about my dreams and nightmares. The Nimrod came to the view. I don't remember if he flew by once or twice, but then around 3:30 pm (I think) close to the end of the show, the Nimrod was moving our way. Far away from us but our way. He was flying gradually down. I took some photos before. I watched, and the plane continued gradually descending towards the water. I thought - its all part of the show. Suddenly the plane nose dived into the shallow waters of the Lake Ontario. The water splashed and I thought - its all part of the show - this was me being in shock state and hoping that what I just saw was not real. People whispered, shook their heads. I looked into my boyfriends eyes - it was true, the plane crashed. Perhaps the plane in the dream was Nimrod.

Air show was cancelled, curious people were awaiting news, asked questions. As we walked back to the car the same army cadet passed us - 'Air Show Souvenir for Sale', 'Air Show Souvenir for Sale' - he yelled out.

[TRUE STORY]

REFERENCES
British Bomber Crashes During Air Show