In the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the Juan de Fuca Plate is moving beneath the North American Plate and building up tension. Small to moderate earthquakes occur frequently; however, the 'big one' is a term commonly being used now to describe the expected massive quake. Civilians are being told to prepare themselves with earthquake kits and information. Yet, their chance of survival may be linked to their social parameters.

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This analysis takes results from a survey by engineering companies (completed in 2015) that assessed the importance of emergency services and the social parameters. There have been a number of studies that looked at the physical characteristics and the infrastructure of vulnerable areas, but none that included social information like age, income, and education level. By mapping the vulnerability based on social factors, we can see which neighbourhoods need better access to help.