The “vigilance map” as a pilot project of the Meteorological Service of Canada: A decision making tool for emergency measures organizations and the public

The Meteorological Service of Canada disseminates meteorological warnings to improve public safety and to facilitate decision making. Warnings are formatted on a binary system resting on fixed criteria and thresholds. The rigidity and the absence of environmental contextual information greatly limit the ability to nuance hazardous weather warnings. The “vigilance map” enables the integration of all available and pertinent information such as: existing environmental conditions, climatologic history, meteorological forecast, similar past events, the directly or indirectly associated impacts as well as the lessons learned from those events.

The development of a “vigilance map” will improve the comprehension and the perception of potential risk and impacts. As a risk communication tool it must include a description of the risks as well as behavioural guidelines. They will increase decision making efficiency and will lead to the development of a public risk understanding culture.

The “vigilance map” is an indispensable risk communication toll to increase personal safety, enable public property protection and to facilitate the continuity of economic activities in the presence of hazardous meteorological conditions.