TIP OF THE WEEK
Date: October 15, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sheriff Curtis L. Landers
(541) 265-0652
lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us
EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI PREPAREDNESS
October is Tsunami Preparedness Month and the perfect opportunity to talk about earthquake and tsunami readiness.
Prepare for the Next Earthquake or Tsunami
Government agencies and other emergency organizations cannot protect you from the next earthquake or tsunami. Even under the best of circumstances, medical aid or public safety officials may not be able to reach you for hours, days, or even weeks. It is our responsibility as individuals, neighborhoods and communities to reduce risks, to prepare for the critical period immediately after the earthquake, and to make sure that planning for earthquakes and tsunamis has the high priority it deserves. By becoming informed, we can take actions to protect ourselves, reduce losses, and recover quickly.
Earthquake Preparation – Cascadia Subduction Zone or On-Shore Earthquakes
- Anchor and secure appliances, furniture, glass objects, and art to wall studs and/or other furniture items.
- Know how to turn off water, gas and electricity and have the non-sparking tools to do so.
- Keep a bag next to your bed with shoes, extra glasses, gloves, poncho, flashlight or headlamp so you are ready to evacuate once the shaking stops.
- Have a 3-5 day kit in your car in case you need to use it as a place of shelter until the aftershocks subside.
- Participate and register for https://www.shakeout.org/oregon/ on October 21, 2021 at 10:21am – the world’s largest earthquake drill. Review these resources for businesses, organizations, and community members.
Earthquake Response – If you feel an earthquake
- Drop, cover, and hold on until after the shaking stops, then evacuate outside to survey damages to the building.
- If indoors, get under a sturdy table, hold on and be prepared to move with the table.
- If in bed, stay in the bed and protect your head with a pillow.
- If outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings and trees and stay until the shaking stops.
- If in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location until shaking stops.
- Be ready for aftershocks that could last for days after the main shock.
Tsunami Preparedness and Response
A tsunami is a series of sea waves, usually caused by a displacement of ocean floor by an undersea earthquake. As tsunamis enter shallow water near land, they increase in height and can cause great loss of life and property damage.
- When at the coast, know the distant and local tsunami evacuation routes. Look for educational signs at beach entry areas and tsunami assembly area points.
- A Distant Tsunami will take 4 or more hours to come on shore and you will feel no earthquake. The tsunami will generally be smaller than that from a local earthquake. Typically, there is time for an official warning from our Lincoln County Lincoln Alerts and the National Warning Center to evacuate to safety.
- A Local Tsunami can come on shore within 15-20 minutes after the earthquake and before there is time for an official warning from the national warning system. Ground shaking may be the only warning you have, so evacuate quickly to high ground out of the local tsunami zone.
- Do not return until emergency officials have advised that it is safe to return.
Resources
Great Oregon ShakeOut:
- Registration & General Information
- Recommended Earthquake Safety Actions
- Earthquake Guide for People with Disabilities
Lincoln County Emergency Management
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Red Cross
For more information and tips, visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and Like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.