SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2016
DISASTER PREP
B Y D AVE R OBINSON
Special to the Siuslaw News
B
y now everyone
knows that earth-
quakes are caused by
a rumbling deep inside the
earth and, if the rumbling is
severe enough, there is dam-
age here on the surface. The
amount of damage depends
on several factors including
the type of quake, and loca-
tion.
Most folks look for a
measure of intensity from the
newsperson; “There was a
quake last night in Outer
Slobovia which measured 6.2
on the Richter Scale.”
We know that was a quake
of moderate strength. The
higher the number, the more
intense the quake, thus the
more danger to life and prop-
erty.
In 1935, Charles Richter
developed a scale based on
seismographic readings to
measure the intensity of
earthquakes. For several
decades his scale was the
state of the art for earthquake
measurement. But technology
being what it is, the Richter
magnitude scale eventually
Earthquake science 101
became obsolete, mostly
because of its limitations in
accurately measuring the
quake several miles from the
epicenter.
Then, one of his peers
improved on the original and
it became the Modified
Richter Scale. Again, tech-
nology drove the geology
community to improve and
along came the Mercalli
scale.
While the Modified Richter
Scale is still used to measure
the intensity of the quake, the
Mercalli Scale is used to
measure the effects of the
quake. The effects are varied,
compared to the distance
from the epicenter. Then, to
further complicate matters, in
the 1970s, along came the
Moment Magnitude Scale
(MMS).
The magnitude is based on
the seismic moment of the
quake. A formula involving
the rigidity of the Earth, the
amount of slip on the fault
and size of the area that
slipped, measures the MMS.
Fortunately for the layman,
COURTS
Florence Municipal Court
Nov. 22
Joshua Michael Brown
pleaded no contest to offen-
sive littering and criminal
trespass. He was sentenced to
three days in Florence City
Jail. He must pay $50 in fines.
Dakotah Richard Hill
pleaded guilty to a misde-
meanor for driving with a sus-
pended driver’s license. He
was sentenced to eight days in
Florence City Jail. He must
pay $975 in fines.
Nicholes Allen Widmann
pleaded no contest to offen-
sive littering. He must pay
$275 in fines and not contact
or be in or about the property
of the victim.
Christian Elizabeth Cropper
pleaded no contest to attempt-
ed possession of methamphet-
amine. She was sentenced to
six days in Florence City Jail
and must report to Emergence
Addiction and Mental Health
Services. She must pay $50 in
fines.
Melissa Megan Chatham
pleaded no contest to unau-
thorized departure. She was
sentenced to six days in cus-
tody.
Isaiah Jamonz Evans plead-
ed guilty to criminal trespass.
He was sentenced to six days
in Florence City Jail and must
report to community service.
He must pay $50 in fines and
not contact or be in or about
the properties or place of
employment of the victim.
the numbers to report the
MMS are the same as the
Richter Scale numbers.
I realize all this can be
confusing, but hang on. Did
you know that an earthquake
measuring 3.0 is 10 times
stronger than one measuring
2.0?
We are conditioned to
break down numbers in
10ths. For example a sign
reading 6.5 miles, means six-
and-one-half miles.
Not so with the Richter
Scale.
Using ordinary logic,
you’d think a 6.0 earthquake
would be twice as intense as
a 3.0. In reality, it is 300 per-
cent greater!
Scientists can come pretty
close with predicting where
quakes will happen, and their
potential intensity. But even
with all of today’s technology
and measuring equipment, it
is still impossible to accurate-
ly predict when they will
strike.
Thanks to GPS technology
and literally thousands of sen-
sors drilled deep within the
earth’s crust, tectonic plate
movement as little as one-half
centimeter can be detected .
Even as you read this, the
Cascade Mountains are rising
and tilting eastward as the
Juan de Fuca plate pushes
(subducts) under the
Continental Plate along the
Cascadia Fault about 60 or so
miles off our coast.
Currently, they seem to be
stuck, but they are still push-
ing. When they become
unstuck, we will have an
earthquake that may rightful-
ly earn the title, “The Big
One!”
Check your supplies and
your plan.
Now is the time to prepare!
______________________
Burns receives OSBA award
Paul Burns, Siuslaw School
Board member, was among
nine locally elected board
members recently recognized
with a gold award for complet-
ing course work through the
Oregon
School
Boards
Association’s
(OSBA)
Leadership Institute.
The awards, presented Nov.
12 at OSBA’s 70th annual con-
vention in Portland, recognize
board members for significant
levels of achievement in lead-
ership and development.
There are four levels:
bronze, silver, gold and plat-
inum.
Betsy Miller-Jones, OSBA’s
executive director, congratu-
lated recipients, telling them,
“This achievement recognizes
local school board members
who are going the extra mile
on behalf of Oregon’s chil-
dren.”
Dave Robinson is the post-
master in Bandon, Ore., and
author of “Disaster Prep for
the Rest of Us.” He may be
contacted at
disasterprep.dave@gmail.co
m. Visit his website for more
disaster preparedness tips,
www.disasterprepdave.blogsp
ot.com.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
2 A
Oregon Tsunami Conference
begins next Wednesday at FEC
Florence will be host to the
annual Oregon Tsunami
Conference on Wednesday,
Dec. 7, when disaster prepara-
tions leaders will discuss what
preparations are needed for
what would likely be a devas-
tating tsunami and earthquake
at some point along the
Oregon coastal region.
The conference will be held
at Florence Events Center
beginning Wednesday and
continuing on Thursday.
The goal is to coordinate
state, county and local gov-
ernment agencies that would
be the first to respond in
the aftermath of an earth-
quake along the Cascadia
Subduction Zone off the
Oregon Coast.
Director of Oregon’s Office
of Emergency Management
Andrew Phelps will open the
conference Wednesday after-
noon. He will be followed by
several scientific experts who
will speak during the two-day
event.
www.TheSiuslawNews.com
R E-CORNER
Dave’s
Most people have heard of the
3Rs of environmentally
friendly behavior-
REDUCE is to use less of something.
Use less water, turn off lights,
use both sides of a paper.
REUSE is to use an item again. Refi ll a water bottle, reuse a
container and buy reusable bags.
RECYCLE is to make new items from old ones; recycle
bottles, glass, paper, cans, plastic, cardboard & more.
T ip
Reduce Waste During the Holidays
Use earth-friendly gift wrapping alternatives,
such as
• Scarves, handkerchiefs and bandannas
• Old posters and maps
• Newspapers (the comic sections works great)
• A present in a present. Place gifts inside reusable containers
like cookie tins, fl ower pots, and baskets or wrap gift in cloth
napkins or kitchen towels.
• Give a “treasure map” to fi nd an unwrapped gift hidden
elsewhere in the house
• Wrap gifts in your children’s or your own artwork
• Look through old magazines, catalogs and calendars to use
attractive photos
• Use re-useable or re-used gift bags
• Replace ribbons and bows with natural evergreens, berries,
dried fl owers. Keep them as decorations or compost them
after the gifts are unwrapped.
• Wrapping paper made from recycled paper
Q uiz
Answer to Previous Quiz: A Reducing
If you sell your children’s used clothing you are…
A) reducing. B) reusing. C) recycling.
D id you Know?
IL E
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CEN
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SA
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People in the U.S. make up 5% of the world’s
population but use 25% of the world’s
resources and generate 30% of its garbage.*
COAST DIS
AL
E W I TH A S
Health Care Town Hall
Join us for the second in a series of town hall
events addressing our community’s health care,
the national provider shortage and how Team
Medicine is improving access to care.
Friday, Dec. 9
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Florence Events Center
715 Quince St., Florence, OR 97439
GOT QUESTIONS?
Come to the town hall for an
opportunity to ask your questions
in person. Or, share your questions
in advance of the event:
facebook.com/peaceharbor
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Visit us online for the latest
information about the event and
PeaceHealth’s provider recruiting
efforts.
peacehealth.org/WeCare
Thanks to our partner, the City of Florence, for working with us to host this event.