Pick a person who won't be affected by a Cascadia Earthquake to be your out-of-area contact. Why? After a major earthquake communication will be difficult. We can't count on cell phones working, but there's a chance we'll be able to get text messages out right after an earthquake. Text, rather than call, because texts use less bandwidth and are more likely to get through. Increased phone traffic right after a disaster often overloads local systems, so communication is more likely to get through to distant places rather than your immediate area. So, choose someone out of the area who you and your loved ones will contact with your status. They'll act as a communication hub for you and your loved ones who will be wondering how and where you are.
Choose 3 meeting places ahead of time to take the guesswork out of reuniting. It's possible that your family will be in different locations when an earthquake strikes. So, determining meeting places ahead of time will reduce stress and simplify the process of reuniting. Once you choose your meeting places, practice making your way to them. Start with the first meeting place, then walk to the second, then the third. Be sure that all family members (if it's developmentally appropriate) understand how to get to the meeting places.
If you and your loved ones are far apart when an earthquake strikes, it will take some work to reunite. It's possible that children will be at school or daycare, or that some family members will be on opposite sides of the river. As part of your emergency plan, discuss possible scenarios and how you will orchestrate reuniting. Determine who will be responsible for getting to children or other loved ones in different scenarios. If you live or work across the river from your child’s school, it's a good idea to designate a friend or family member in the school area who agrees to pick up your child(ren) and take care of them until you can get there. Be sure to include them on your child’s school emergency contacts list.
Keep a 3-day emergency Get-Home Pack in your car and at work. You'll be on foot after an earthquake because damage to roads and bridges will preclude driving; it may take a few days to get where you need to go, so you'll need emergency supplies to safely get home.
Click here to get a copy of our Emergency Plan template
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Hanging out at the beach is one of life's great pleasures: it’s hard to beat the fun of splashing in the waves and dozing in the sun. But, if you’re heading to the coast in the Pacific Northwest, it’s important to be aware of Tsunami hazards.
Too many people visit beaches along the Cascadia Subduction Zone knowing little to nothing about tsunami hazards. On the opposite end of the spectrum are people who avoid going to the beach altogether because they’re afraid of tsunamis. That’s sad. You can enjoy a safe trip to the beach by simply doing 5 minutes of research about the area’s tsunami zone and know what to do if there’s an earthquake. A few minutes of prep can literally save your life.
You’ve probably seen the blue and white signs at the coast indicating tsunami zones, but have you thought about what they mean to you? A tsunami is a powerful series of waves that destroy everything in its path. So, if you’re stuck in the danger zone during a tsunami, sadly you’ll be part of that destruction. Tsunamis form when the ocean floor moves during an earthquake and displaces massive amounts of water. This water inundates the shore 15-20 minutes after an earthquake. Although infrequent, an earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone could happen any time, and when it does, it will wreak devastation along the Northern California, Oregon, and Washington coasts. Would you know what to do if an earthquake struck when you’re at the beach?
Before you head to the beach take a look at the tsunami map for the area you’re visiting. Figure out which areas are inside and outside of the local earthquake-tsunami zone. Get a sense of how far you’d need to walk to get out of the tsunami zone from where you’ll be. If you’re staying overnight, locate your lodging on the map to see if it’s within the tsunami zone and determine your by-foot evacuation route.
Here is an example of the tsunami inundation map for Manzanita and Nehalem
If you’re staying overnight, locate your lodging on the map to see if it’s within the tsunami zone and determine your by-foot evacuation route. Also figure out your route from other locations (the beach, downtown, etc.)
Unfortunately, most hotels and vacation rentals at the coast don’t prominently post information about tsunami hazards and evacuation routes, they’re afraid they’ll scare off customers by highlighting the tsunami risk. You’ll need to take on this responsibility. So, when you’re choosing lodging, in addition to location and view, also take proximity to the tsunami safe zone into account.
This is a tempting step to skip, but don’t! When you arrive at the coast, take the time to walk the tsunami evacuation route with your group. Walk, don’t drive, because, after an earthquake, roads and bridges may be damaged. Take note of how long it takes you to walk up to the safe zone. A Tsunami along the Oregon coast will arrive approximately 15-20 minutes after the earthquake shaking stops.
Bring a 3-day earthquake backpack of critical supplies for each member of your group. Take it with you if you have to evacuate; you’ll only have what you carry with you for many days. So, it’s critical to bring a 3-day emergency backpack. If you’re staying in lodging outside of the tsunami zone, you’ll still need the supplies in your emergency backpack because the coast will be totally cut off with no water or utilities.
Yes, even at the beach. You want to be on the ground so you don’t risk injury from falling while trying to walk. When the shaking stops, immediately grab your 3-day emergency backpack walk (don’t drive) up to safe ground. You’ll have approximately 15-20 minutes before the tsunami arrives. Tsunami waves may continue for many hours, so don’t head back to low-lying areas until there is an official “All Clear” signal from officials.
The chances are slim that you’ll be at the coast when an earthquake hits, but if you are, you’ll be prepared and know what to do.
]]>Do you have your insurance policy account number memorized? We certainly don’t!
Living through an earthquake or other natural disaster is stressful. Getting back on your feet will likely include dealing with insurance companies, mortgage lenders, and financial institutions. Imagine having no account information because your file cabinet was lost in the earthquake due to flooding, a fire, or structural damage. Where would you start?
Having your important documents copied and stored in a safe place is a key part of preparing. It’s not a fun task, but it goes quickly once you dive in. So, spend time compiling and storing documents that you’ll need after a natural disaster. Taking a few hours on this task now will speed up your recovery process and greatly reduce stress at an already difficult time.
Our home earthquake kits come with a waterproof document holder that’s perfect for housing copies of these documents or a thumb drive with digital files.
- Keep hard copies with your kit in a waterproof, fire-proof safe.
- Scan documents and put on a thumb drive and keep it in your kit (realize you may not immediately have access to a computer due to lack of electricity).
- Send a copy of the thumb drive to your trusted emergency contact person.
- Scan docs and send to yourself via email, keep on your phone.
- Scan docs and store in the Cloud (keep in mind these documents would likely not be immediately accessible due to lack of electricity and internet).
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Think about this scenario: A major earthquake has just happened and you’re 2 towns over at a meeting. What will some of your first thoughts be? Probably something like, “Are my loved ones ok? Where are they? Are they safe?” It’s likely that they’ll be wondering the same things about you. The anxiety of worrying about the status of your loved ones adds stress to an already difficult situation. Having a pre-designated Out of Area Contact person can help ease the worry and get you information when you need it.
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to pick up the phone and call our nearby loved ones. Why? After a big emergency, too many people jump on the phone at once, so the local phone systems get overloaded and stop working. Long-distance calls often get through more easily than local calls.
An “Out of Area” person is someone far enough away not to be impacted by the same emergency as you. For example: if you live in Portland, a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake will not affect your sister Diana in Boston, but will affect brother Perry in Seattle, so your sister in Boston is a better choice. While geography is an important consideration, so is temperament. Choose someone who works well under pressure, is clear-headed and reliable. Have a conversation with them to make sure they agree to the responsibilities and understand their role. It makes sense to coordinate with other family members and loved ones and use the same contact person. In the above example, Perry in Seattle could also use Diana in Boston as his out of area contact.
This person will act as a central contact hub for you and your loved ones after a major disaster. They’ll keep track of important information and communicate it to interested parties. Ideally, use this person’s MOBILE number so that you have the option to text them rather than call.
Their Tasks:
- When they learn of the crisis, they should stay close to their phone and be available for those who will be calling in
- They should keep a written record of who called, what time, the specific location of the person, and any messages the person wants passed along to other loved ones
- Keep updated on, and try to communicate any important news or announcements related to the disaster that may not be available to those in the disaster area (due to lack of electricity/internet etc.)
- Moral support
The stress of an emergency might make it difficult to remember important phone numbers, so each member of the family should have an emergency contact card with them at all times. This card contains the Out of Area Contact Person’s name and phone number plus other important information. Each family member should have a card in their wallet, purse, backpack or lunchbox.
The first rule is “Text, Don’t Call.” Texts take up a fraction of the bandwidth that calls do, so you’re more likely to get your message out via text, but do keep texts short. Landlines (yes, landlines) can often be usable after a disaster, especially since they don’t rely on electricity. If you have a landline at home, be sure to have at least one corded phone that doesn’t require electricity to use. If the lines are intact, it will work even if the electricity is out.
We don’t know if, or for how long, phones will be operational after an earthquake or other disaster, but having a plan in place ensures efficient use of resources, and potentially peace of mind, if they are available. It’s possible that local cell towers will be operational for a short time after a major earthquake (until their battery power is depleted). Even if phones are not operational at first, eventually they will be, so having a person out of the disaster area to assist with communication is important.
Designating an Out of Area Contact person is a great example of how a small amount of pre-preplanning can make a huge difference. Choose yours today and fill out your Emergency Contact Cards.
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The last few weeks have been full of rapidly changing information and drastic alterations to our daily lives. Most of us have now been told to stay home. We acknowledge the medical professionals and first responders who have no choice but to work and who put themselves at risk every day to support our community. Those of us who are ordered to “Stay Home” have an important job to do as well.
Our responsibility is to stay put and adopt practices to slow down the spread of Coronavirus, period. It’s not easy to all of a sudden be housebound. Any drastic change like this requires each of us to do some conscious planning to ensure that we are taking care of ourselves and staying healthy. Here are a few suggestions:
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One of the most powerful things you can do to prepare for the aftermath of a Cascadia earthquake is to connect with your neighbors and people in your community now. Even casual connections strengthen community ties, which have been shown to hasten recovery after a natural disaster. Did you know that over 90% of people rescued after natural disasters are rescued by the community members around them, not professional First Responders? It’ll be the same after the Cascadia earthquake. First Responders are unlikely to be available, so we'll be leaning on those around us, and they’ll be leaning on us.
Connecting with people around you is free, yet it’s an invaluable preparedness task. So, take the time to meet your neighbors, get to know the folks at the corner store and stop at that lemonade stand next summer. Consider attending your neighborhood association meetings or any community group that interests you. All of these activities build social ties, and communities with strong social ties do better in the aftermath of natural disasters than those without.
The Cajun Navy, private citizens who came to help with Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017. Photo by Travis Spradling.
These social connections are important to us all of the time, not just after a disaster. Multiple studies have shown that people with strong social support and meaningful relationships have fewer health problems, stronger immune systems, are happier and live longer lives. So, fostering connections with those around you can improve your life every day, now that’s compelling!
- Organizing a neighborhood potluck
- Borrowing a cup of sugar
- Saying hi to your neighbor
- Changing a lightbulb for an elderly neighbor
- Having a block party
- Walking around your neighborhood
- Stopping at a lemonade stand
- Delivering cookies to a new neighbor
- Knowing your neighbors’ names
- Taking in your neighbors’ recycling bin
- Checking in on an elderly neighbor
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Imagine the difference between an earthquake striking in the depths of winter vs. on a summer day. If it happens in winter, you may need to make your way home (by foot!) during a rainstorm or snow flurry. Would you have what you need? With winter upon us, take these 5 steps to prepare your car for a winter earthquake or other emergency. After all, the last Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake happened during January. Brrrr!
Having extra layers for warmth will pay off in spades during a winter emergency. If you’re one of those folks who’s prone to drive around in your slippers, throw in a pair of sturdy shoes as well! If you have to walk any distance in frigid temperatures or need to shelter in your car you’ll be safer with extra layers. (Do you recall the thousands of people who were stuck in their cars on I-84 near Hood River last winter for 17 hours because of icy conditions?)
Don’t let your gas tank ride down to “E.” The gas that’s in your car when an earthquake strikes is likely all you’ll have for weeks. 90% of Oregon’s fuel comes through the NW Portland tank farms, which are in a liquefaction zone and will be destroyed during an earthquake. Therefore, there will be no fuel (not to mention the hideous environmental disaster). So, always keep your tank at least half full. Plus, in a winter car emergency (again, think of those stranded I-84 folks) being able to run your engine for heat may be a lifesaver.
Imagine an earthquake striking in winter when you’re across town at the grocery store or miles away at work. Have an emergency pack to get you through 3 days. Post-earthquake, depending on conditions, you may need to shelter in place where you are, or embark on the journey of walking home. Core critical supplies include: water, nutrition, an emergency sleeping bag, an emergency blanket and rain poncho. It's important to have supplies that help retain your core body temperature and shield you from the elements. Most bridges and overpasses will be down, so travel routes will be impassable by car. Getting home could be a multi-day process requiring sleeping outside on the way. Have a 3-day Get-Home Pack in your car to take care of yourself during these critical 72 hours.
This is about prevention. Make sure that your car is ready for winter. Checking these critical safety systems takes only a few minutes but can make a huge difference in terms of road safely in winter.
We all know that when snow hits around here it is mayhem, with cars slipping and sliding. Keep traction devices in your car and know how to install them. Even if you don’t know how to use them, a kind bystander is likely to give you a hand!
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Steven Eberlein is a keynote speaker and earthquake preparedness evangelist who has single handedly inspired thousands of people to take action and prepare for the inevitable Cascadia earthquake. Through his company Tipping Point Resilience Steven is igniting a West Coast preparedness movement. Thank you Steven!
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We enjoy fellow Portlander Steven Eberlein’s take on the Great ShakeOut. He’s a keynote speaker who’s inspired thousands of people to take action and prepare for a Cascadia earthquake. If you have not attended one of his talks, check out his Portland TedX Talk.
I love the awkwardness, I love people’s reluctance to participate, I love the slow domino effect of begrudging cooperation, I love the embarrassed laughter of people returning to their seats. I love everything about earthquake drills because, in that one minute of pretend shaking, we witness the power of our influence over one another. I will assume you hate drills, so let me lend you my eyes so that you might better enjoy the Great Shakeout.
There are two reasons that earthquake drills like the Great Shakeout are important. First, the nerdy reason: during an emergency, your frontal cortex (aka “your smart brain”) is overrun by your amygdala (aka “your dumb explosive brain”) due to a fear-driven process called “amygdala hijack.” Your amygdala only learn effectively through repeated, physical practice – so get under the damn table.
But there’s a second reason we must participate in earthquake drills that is never acknowledged: we need to do earthquake drills because they’re awkward.
I didn’t miss-word that. We don’t like to acknowledge that we need one another’s reinforcement to perform a life-preserving act. We don’t like to acknowledge that we need permission to do what’s smart. But permission is precisely what we’re looking for when taking action during a time of fear and uncertainty. When you run an earthquake drill, you are working to build a permission structure that will persuade everyone to do something awkward and potentially life-saving action together. This sentence demands clarification.
In a Great Shakeout drill or a real seismic event, "everyone" can be categorized into four distinct groups. Think of these groups as dominoes - the challenge is to get one group's reaction to tip into the other until everyone is under a table:
If it seems that I’m being hard on our last group, let me confess that I am a standard bearer for the eye-rollers in similar social situations. From my perspective, the dynamics of earthquake drills are much like standing ovations, a ritual that I positively hate. At 13, I gave a solo standing ovation at an off-Broadway staging of Cats that left a tiny insecure dent in my 41-year-old soul. Today, while all of you are standing and clapping at the end of a performance, I’m still in my seat, calculating. I'd like to shout “I’ve seen better!! Practice more!” But when all is said and done, I almost always stand and clap... after everyone else has begun to do so. I stand mostly because I don't want to look like a jerk. It's a sentiment that drives most of us to a degree.
Here’s the lesson: there’s nothing you can say to an “eye roller” that will make them change their views or behavior; however, the sight of others changing their behavior creates a different kind of persuasive pressure that is difficult to ignore. This is a powerful force that we can can be harvested for the greater good.
The Great Shakeout is about more than practicing drop/cover/hold-on – it's an experiment with social dynamics. As a group, you’re deciding how you’re going to deal with the awkwardness and uncertainty of a real emergency. Who’s going to rule the response? Will the “leader” and the “true believers” set off a domino effect of life-saving action or will the “eye-rollers” infect us with uncertainty and inaction? You won't know until you try, and try often.
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1 Vital prescription medications: 2 week supply + a complete list of all prescriptions
2 Prescription eyewear: spare eyeglasses/contact lenses with cleaning solution Tip: when you get new glasses, put your old ones in your earthquake kit.
3 Cash: small denominations (ATM’s won’t work)
4 Extra keys: home, car, office etc.
5 USB cord to charge your phone via your hand-cranked emergency radio
6 Baby supplies/Menstrual supplies (if relevant): include diapers and wipes. Tip: Menstrual supplies can be great first-aid tools.
7 Sturdy shoes for each family member, extra set of clothes
8 Comfort items for small children: stuffed animals, games, gummy bears...
9 Comfort items for adults: instant coffee, whiskey, chocolate...
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The recommendation for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake is to store:
Well, a Cascadia earthquake will shake for 3 to 5 minutes, damaging the water system and making it inoperable for months. So, whatever water you have on hand when the earthquake happens is likely all you’ll have for a couple of weeks (until relief arrives).
Take the amount pictured above and multiply by the number of people and pets in your household.
The gallon per person per day covers both drinking and sanitation. Most people need about 3 quarts a day to be well hydrated, but it varies depending on age, physical condition, climate and health. People who might need additional water include nursing mothers, sick people, children or any of us on a scorching summer day.
After a large earthquake, turn off your household water supply at the main. This keeps contamination from the ruptured water system out of your pipes, preserving safe water in your lines. It also keeps gravity from draining the water in your pipes if there’s broken pipes in the system. Shut the water off by turning the meter valve near the curb clockwise. If you have an interior shut-off valve where pipes enter your home, you can shut it off there.
Have a tank water heater? You can use the water inside as long as you’ve shut off your water at the main. Don’t count on it being your main source of water though, it may become inaccessible or damaged in the earthquake. Think of it as bonus water and remember it needs to be purified before drinking it. For instructions on how to safely access water from your water heater click here.
Make sure you have 2 weeks of water stored so you don’t get caught without. All of our two week home earthquake kits have the recommended water storage for a Cascadia earthquake.
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Emergency Managers say to have an emergency plan and at least two weeks of supplies in order to shelter in place and take care of your family after a Cascadia earthquake. Having water, food and safety supplies will allow you to meet your basic needs instead of scrambling at a time of limited resources. We'll all likely be "camping" at home (with no water, electricity, sewer, cell service), so having life sustaining supplies on hand will make a world of difference.
Oregon Office of Emergency Management (pg. 17) See recommendations
Washington Emergency Management Division. See recommendations
American Red Cross Cascades Region (pg. 6-7) See recommendations
Subduction zone earthquakes are the largest on earth, which means 3-5 minutes of shaking. For comparison, California's San Andreas Fault earthquakes last about 15-30 seconds.
Most roads will be impassable, so it’ll take a couple of weeks for relief to even get to us. Imagine no electricity, running water or toilets for weeks or months. Cell phones probably won't work after the earthquake. Having two weeks of supplies will allow you to shelter in place take care of yourself until relief arrives.
Sadly, there’s no way to know when it will happen, only that it will. That’s how earthquakes work, there's no warning. We do know that once an earthquake strikes it's too late to prepare. The last CSZ earthquake was in 1700 and the Cascadia fault has been building up pressure ever since. Historically, the average time between Cascadia earthquakes has been 243 years.
Cascadia Ready
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How do we prepare for something we have never experienced or can’t even imagine? Given that the last Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake happened in 1700, almost 180 years before the lightbulb was invented, it’s no wonder many of us have a hard time grasping the possibility. As humans, we tend to prepare for events that we believe have a high likelihood of happening, so when something isn’t in our collective memory, it seems unreal.
The only people who experienced the 1700 Cascadia Megaquake were the Native First Nations tribes who lived along the Pacific coast and inland valleys. The shaking, which lasted several minutes, started around 9pm and woke people up from their sleep. The subsequent tsunami wiped out entire villages along the coast that night. Stories of this earthquake were passed down through the generations.
The world’s largest earthquakes occur along subduction zones, geologic hot spots where one of earth’s tectonic plates is slowly being forced underneath another. These plates stick, causing a buildup of stress, which is periodically released through massive earthquakes. These are not your run-of-the-mill 15-second San Andreas Fault earthquakes. These magnitude 8+ megathrust earthquakes shake the earth for four to six minutes and are followed by tsunamis and numerous aftershocks.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) lies off the coast of the Pacific Northwest underneath the Pacific Ocean. It stretches 700 miles from Northern California to British Columbia. The CSZ is part of the infamous Pacific “Ring of Fire” where over 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is where the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate is diving underneath the North American plate. The CSZ is different than most subduction zones in that it is "locked." In most other subduction zones, tectonic plates slide more freely and therefore have more frequent earthquakes, releasing built-up pressure more often. Because the CSZ is locked, it builds up pressure over longer periods of time and produces massive earthquakes when it does rupture.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone has produced 41 major earthquakes in the last 10,000 years. These earthquakes have ranged from 125 to 800 years apart with an average interval of 243 years. The last Cascadia earthquake occurred in January of 1700.
Seismologists predict there is a 37% chance that the Cascadia Subduction Zone will let loose a magnitude 8+ megathrust earthquake within the next 50 years. This earthquake is expected to be the largest natural disaster in North American history. In order to prepare for this catastrophic event, Pacific NW Emergency Managers strongly advise people to have emergency supplies and plans to be self-sufficient and shelter in place for a minimum of two-weeks.
No one knows when this megaquake will happen, simply that it will. We're not about provoking fear; we are realists who promote taking action to help our communities prepare.
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