This week, the New Yorker magazine decided to drop a bombshell of an article about earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest coaxing local-area seismologists and geologists out of their data for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit.
“Don’t be scared of earthquakes and tsunamis. Be informed, educated, prepared and then be confident that you are ready,” said John Schelling, the Earthquake/Tsunami/Volcano Programs Manager for the Washington Emergency Management Division in a press release on mil.wa.gov.
One of the top questions was how to be prepared.
“For individuals, just be aware of the risk, make a plan with your family for how to get in touch after the quake (designate someone out of state that everyone can call or text even when local service is disrupted). And build your emergency kit,” said Sandi Doughton, science writer for the Seattle Times and author of the book “Full Rip 9.0: The Next Big Earthquake in the Pacific Northwest. “You don’t have to do it all at once – I just add things to mine every now and then.”
Besides practicing Drop, Cover and Hold (under a desk or sturdy table) and other safety exercises, preparing no less than three days worth of food and water for each person in the house is a good idea, however in the event of ‘the big one’ a week or more may be more prudent.
“We recommend people prepare themselves for 7 to 10 days vs. three. For a major quake, life won’t be back to “normal” after just three days,” Doughton said. “I’ve got enough at home to make it through a week, and also keep a stash of stuff in my car as well as at work.”
For food, ready-to-eat meals, such as MREs, protein or canned foods, are a great way to store foods long term, along with canned juices, dried fruits and vegetables, and other high energy or comfort foods (for stress).
According to Ready.gov, a national public service campaign encouraging Americans to prepare for emergencies, one gallon of water per person, per day, is a good estimate for drinking and sanitation needs, however children, nursing mothers, the sick or the injured may require more water. Chlorine tablets can purify water that is unsanitized.
“Beyond supplies, I always encourage people to talk about their plans – especially around communication, which we know will be affected,” Doughton said. “Where will they be? How can they get back together? Where could they meet if not at home?”
Being prepared isn’t limited to gathering food and water, it’s also about creating and adhering to a plan that has been effectively communicated to family in and outside of the Pacific Northwest. Telling other non-PNW family and friends about the plans and dangers may also ease their fears.
“Overall, it was a well-written and documented article. The scenario left an impression of much greater devastation that is anticipated to occur, however,” said John Vidale, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. “Communications may black out, transportation may grind to a halt, stores conceivably could run out of goods for a while, but that doesn’t constitute ‘toast’ in one’s mind. The speaker must have been referring to some aspect of those problems, not to smoking rubble.”
For more information about earthquake hazards, please visit http://pnsn.org/. For more information about preparedness, please visit http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/earthquake or http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes.
