30
Wednesday,February10,2016The Nugget Newspaper,Sisters,Oregon
Megaquake:
Quakecouldhappen
atanytime
Continued from page 1
the Sisters-Camp Sherman
RuralFireProtectionDistrict.
Dr.McKaydetailedthegeo-
logicalandhistoricalrecord
thatdetailsthe1700full-rip
earthquake,anddescribedthe
effects such a quake would
haveinmodernOregon.
The effects, as can be
imagined, would be cata-
strophic on the coast, with
massive damage from the
shaking and from a likely
tsunami,whichwouldproba-
blyinundatemanylow-lying
areas.
Emergency planners on
the coast have identified
rallying points and tsunami
evacuation routes for the
immediate aftermath of the
quake,buttheeffectswould
belong-lasting,withamas-
siverescueandreliefeffort
required to rescue and/or
supply and sustain isolated
populationsalongthecoast.
Effects would be felt far
inland,withsignificantdam-
ageintheWillametteValley.
Depending on the time of
year,amegaquakecouldtrig-
germultiplemajorlandslides
that could cut off highways
throughtheCoastRangeand
theCascades.
And many of the state’s
highway bridges would
be rendered unusable —
either heavily damaged or
collapsed.
For Central Oregon,
it is this disruption of
transportationandtheripple
effectsofdamageelsewhere
that will be the most sig-
nificanteffectofafull-scale
Cascadia Subduction Zone
earthquake.
Directdamagefromshak-
ing is likely to be minor,
accordingtoDr.McKay.But
thepeopleofSistersCountry
are not insulated from the
effects.
JackMcGowanofSisters
has been a long-time advo-
cateofemergencyprepared-
nessandservesontheboard
of directors for Oregon
Public Broadcasting, which
recently broadcast a major
seriesonthemegaquakesce-
nariotitled“Unprepared.”
J i m C u n n i n g h a m o f
Sisters is the former com-
mander of the Oregon Air
NationalGuardand,assuch,
was recently briefed on the
latestemergencyplansforthe
aftermathofamegaquake.
He describes the plan-
ningas“apunch-listofmis-
sions”thatareexpectedtobe
needed in the first 14 days
afteracatastrophicquake.
“The first two weeks is
goingtobethetoughestpor-
tion,”hesaid.“Thisislikea
playbook.”
Bothurgelocalresidents
to prioritize their personal
emergencypreparedness(see
related column, page 18).
C u n n i n g h a m a n d
McGowanagreethatdisrup-
tion of the fragile network
ofmodernlifeistheareato
focusoninSistersCountry.
“Our fuel supply will
be immediately cut off,”
McGowan said, noting
that 90 percent of Central
Oregon’s fuel comes from
a depot in Portland that
will almost certainly sus-
tainsignificantdamageina
megaquake.
Damage to roads and
bridges may make it dif-
ficult to deliver food sup-
plies to local markets.And
electrical power may be
disrupted or shut down
for an extended period of
time.
Therehasbeensomecon-
cern expressed that Central
Oregon might be inundated
with refugees. Sgt. Nathan
Garibay of the Deschutes
CountySheriff’sOfficetold
firstrespondersduringtheir
December training that it
is unlikely that many peo-
ple would be able to reach
CentralOregonevenifthey
desiredtodoso,atleastnot
immediately. Roads will be
damaged—andprobablybe
closedtoeastboundtrafficto
enablewhathelpcanbesent
from the east to get to the
hard-hit western part of the
state.
However, he said, “I
think we have to plan for
some degree of displaced
population coming into our
communities.”
Garibayalsoemphasized
thatpowerwillbedisrupted.
“We’re planning for
at least seven days here
locally,”hesaid.
If the quake happens in
themiddleofwinter,asthe
1700 quake did, that could
leave many local residents
withouttheirmainsourceof
heat.Andelectricalpoweris
vital to keeping water sup-
pliesflowing,too.
Butpowermaynotbethe
mostcriticalissue.
What should local folks
preparefor?
quakevictims.
Being prepared means
you are not a burden on
badly stretched emergency
personnel.
Both men are quick to
point out that preparedness
does not mean bunkering-
up and hunkering down.
Carrying on will require
neighborlysupport.
“Ifyouareprepared,you
canoffersupporttoothers,”
McGowansaid.
Thatmeanshavingasup-
plyofwater,food(forpetsas
wellashumans),cookingand
heatingcapabilityandasup-
plyofvitalmedications(see
story, page 31).
Afull-ripquakealongthe
Cascadia Subduction Zone
couldhappentoday—orit
couldhappen50yearsfrom
now. There is no reason to
live in fear of even such a
catastrophic natural disas-
ter — especially if you are
preparedandknowthatyou
andyourneighborsandyour
community are ready to
weatherthestorm.
I think the two
biggest issues are going
to be water and fuel.
— Jim Cunningham
“I think the two biggest
issuesaregoingtobewater
and fuel,” Cunningham
said.
Self-reliancewillbecriti-
caltogetthroughtheimme-
diateandlong-termaftermath
ofamegaquake.Emergency
responderswillbebusy,even
iftheyarenotsenttoother
parts of the state to help
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