The other day, Molly mentioned to me that she had recently read an article about a potential major earthquake, one which was overdue to hit the Pacific Northwest at a moment's notice. Given our field of emergency preparedness, I was hesitant to believe the imminent danger, as we are constantly bombarded with potential hazards that could make anyone paranoid beyond reason, and at the end of the day, I do really value my de-stressed low blood pressure. However, I made sure to research this potential earthquake of legends, as I do have a really wonderful childhood friend in Portland, Oregon, and I wanted to see if there was anything substantive to back up these claims.
Want to read the article that sparked this earthquake preparedness conversation? Click here to read Kathryn Schulz's article from The New Yorker!
As fate would have it, it seems there actually is quite a great deal of scientific research behind this warning for "the big one," and the Pacific Northwest, statistically, is already overdue.
Want to check out an article from a more local source, too? Check out Richard Read's article in The Oregonian here!
But enough about my newfound worry. I'm all about sharing preparedness knowledge, not fear. What do you need to do to be ready for an earthquake? Check out these resources!
Click here to check out the CDC's earthquake preparedness page! This page has resources for everything from planning earthquake drills to making your evacuation plans. Want to know some more specific details about things to keep in storage in case an earthquake knocks out your access to electricity, water, and sewer services? Click here to check out the CDC's list of recommended emergency supplies to have on hand just in case!
Another important concern raised in the article was regarding the time of day the great earthquake might hit. What do you do if the earthquake hits while you're in your home in the middle of the night or while you're getting ready in the morning? Check out this page from FEMA about preparing your home and what to do if you experience an earthquake while you're there! What do you do (and the article points out this case could actually be more problematic if not planned in advance) if the great earthquake hits while you're at work? Check out this page on earthquake preparedness for the workplace from OSHA! The OSHA page also includes a pretty nifty map of seismic activity risk based on location within the United States that I found to be pretty interesting. Check it out!
However, as both Schulz and Read pointed out in their articles, the earthquake itself is not the only threat facing the Pacific Northwest, and by that same token, even Japan if a quake of this magnitude strikes the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Tsunamis are an important consideration to make, especially in the areas closest to the coast. A wall of water estimated to be up to sixty feet tall and seven hundred miles long could slam into the coast, and a quick jaunt to high ground could be what saves your life if tragedy strikes during a day on the coast.
Check out safety and preparedness tips from Red Cross for tsunamis here!
Red Cross even has an app for iPhone and Android for earthquake safety. Want to find out more about it or download it on your phone? Click here to check it out!
Also, think that just because you aren't on the West Coast that you're immune and don't need to think about earthquake safety? Check out this article about the 2011 earthquake that shook Virginia, DC, and much of the East Coast. I was in DC in college at the time, and it was a crazy surprise. It was a reminder to be prepared for anything, even if it's a 5.8 quake that does little more damage than throw a bag of sugar across your kitchen and unfold your laundry.
At the end of the day, we don't want to scare everyone into becoming a recluse living in a steel-walled fortress in seclusion to be safe from disasters; we want everyone to have fun and live exciting, productive lives while knowing how to plan in case nature (or man) decide to get in the way. Have any questions? Feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org. We love reaching out and engaging in conversation with anyone we can.
Enjoy this beautiful day, Charlotte, and to all of you reading this, please stay safe, and enjoy some tunes from the new Ratatat album. Molly and I are pretty excited about its release, and we figured if it brings us this much joy, it might do the same for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment