8A | SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS TSUNAMI AWARENESS WEEK The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion and the National Tsuna- mi Hazard Mitigation Pro- gram have designated March 22-26 as Tsunami Awareness Week. A tsunami can kill or in- jure people and damage or destroy buildings and in- frastructure as waves come in and go out. A tsunami is a series of enormous ocean waves caused by earth- quakes, underwater land- slides, volcanic eruptions, or asteroids. Tsunamis can: • Travel 20-30 miles per hour with waves 10-100 feet high. • Cause flooding and dis- rupt transportation, power, communications, and the water supply. • Happen anywhere along U.S. coasts. Coasts that bor- der the Pacific Ocean or Ca- ribbean Sea have the greatest risk. If you are under a tsunami warning: • First, protect yourself from an Earthquake. Drop, Cover, then Hold On. • Get to high ground as far inland as possible. You can protect yourself from a tsunami while also protect- ing yourself and your fami- ly from COVID-19. Protect yourself from the effects of a tsunami by moving from the shore to safe, high grounds outside tsunami hazard ar- eas. • Be alert to signs of a tsu- nami, such as a sudden rise or draining of ocean waters. • Listen to emergency in- formation and alerts. • Evacuate: DO NOT wait! Leave as soon as you see any natural signs of a tsunami or receive an official tsunami warning. • Always follow the in- structions from local emer- gency managers. They provide the latest recom- mendations based on the threat in your communi- ty. The situ- ation might be different under the COVID-19 pandemic. • Make plans to shelter with friends and family, if possible. • If you are in a boat, go out to sea. How to stay safe: • Prepare Now If you live near, or regular- ly visit a coastal area, learn about the risk of tsunami in the area. Some at-risk com- munities have maps with evacuation zones and routes. If you are a visitor, ask about community plans. Learn the signs of a po- tential tsunami, such as an earthquake, a loud roar from the ocean, or unusual ocean behavior, such as a sudden rise or wall of water or sud- den draining of water show- ing the ocean floor. Know and practice com- munity evacuation plans and map out your routes from home, work, and play. Pick shelters 100 feet or more above sea level, or at least one mile inland. Create a family emergen- cy communication plan that has an out-of-state contact. Plan where to meet if you get separated. Sign up for your commu- nity’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- istration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergen- cy alerts. Consider earthquake insurance and a flood in- surance policy through the Hoberg’s Cel 70 ebrat + Y ing ear s! Complete Auto Repair www.hobergsautorepair.com New Service d Offere FREE Taxi Ride via: River Cities Taxies Florence City Limits Only From our shop to your home or work DROP! COVER! HOLD ON! Protect Yourself During Earthquakes GO TO HIGH GROUND OR INLAND! The Shaking is Your Tsunami Warning STAY THERE! Tsunami Waves May Arrive for Hours National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood or earth- quake damage. from the earthquake. Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Drop to your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck with your arms. Hold on to any sturdy furniture until the • Survive During shaking stops. Crawl only if If you are in a tsunami area you can reach better cover, and there is an earthquake, but do not go through an then first protect yourself area with more debris. If pos- sible, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose, espe- cially after touching high-touch surfaces, to slow the spread of COVID-19. W h e n the shak- ing stops, if there are natural signs or official warnings of a tsunami, then move imme- diately to a safe place as high and as far inland as possible. Listen to the authorities, but do not wait for tsunami warn- ings and evacuation orders. If you are outside of the tsunami hazard zone and receive a warning, then stay where you are unless officials tell you otherwise. Leave immediately if you are told to do so. Evacuation routes are often marked by a wave with an arrow in the di- rection of higher ground. If you are in the water, then grab onto something that floats, such as a raft, tree trunk, or door. There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through water, however floodwaters may contain debris, chemicals, or waste that are harmful to your health. If you are in a boat, then face the direction of the waves and head out to sea. If you are in a harbor, then go inland. • Be Safe After Listen to local alerts and authorities for information on areas to avoid and shelter locations. Avoid wading in floodwa- ter, which can contain dan- gerous debris. Water may be deeper than it appears. Be aware of the risk of electrocution. Underground or downed power lines can electrically charge water. Do not touch electrical equip- ment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. If you become injured or sick and need medical at- tention, contact your health- care provider for further care instructions and shelter in place, if possible. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Stay away from damaged buildings, roads, and bridg- es. Document property dam- age with photographs. Con- duct an inventory and con- tact your insurance company for assistance. Save phone calls for emer- gencies. Phone systems are often down or busy after a disaster. Use text messages or social media to communi- cate with family and friends. Engage virtually with your community through video and phone calls. Know that it’s normal to feel anxious or stressed. Take care of your body and talk to someone if you are feeling upset. People can learn more at www.ready.gov/tsunamis and www.tsunamizone.org. To our valued readers: Help small businesses affected by coronavirus right now, including ours. Businesses of all sizes have been hit hard in this challenging new age of social distancing and self-isolation, but the blow has been catastrophic for small operations that rely on in-person transactions. There are many ways to help this holiday season, like purchasing gift certificates or memberships, and yet there are many service-type businesses that don’t have that option. As we look to a new year, we’re celebrating what connects us as a community, and what we can do to support our local businesses! THAT’S WHY WE CREATED THE SUPPORT LOCAL TOGETHER CAMPAIGN. The Support Local Together campaign will help local businesses who have to choose between promoting their business and paying the electric bill. It will also help support the Siuslaw News, who has seen a strong decrease in advertising revenue, but an increase in readership. IT DOES TWO THINGS. 1. Funds advertising dollars for local businesses Your financial support will go directly to fund advertising that our local businesses need to stay top of mind. 2. Supports local journalism By becoming a supporting member, you are helping to replace some of the advertising revenue the Siuslaw News has lost over the past ten months, due to the pandemic. HERE IS HOW TO SUPPORT: 345 Hwy. 101 • P.O. Box 357 Florence, OR 97439-0012 • 541-997-2413 Serving Your Auto Needs Since 1945 Kevin McMullen 3rd Generation Owner, hobergsautorepair@gmail.com • Call 541-902-3524 • Make a donation of your choosing. • Choose a specific local business that you would like the advertising credit to go to, or leave that blank and we will designate it to a business we know needs help. Our community is small but generous and we recognize there are many great organizations, like ours, that could use your help. We believe the vast majority of our readers have always shared our view of the value and necessity of a strong local media and are willing to provide support Yes, I would like to become a 2020/21 Support Local Together Sponsor equal to two or three cups of Call 541-902-3524 coffee a month to secure its Mail sponsorship form to: Siuslaw News Supporter future. PO Box 10 Florence Oregon 97439 Current Library Services Hold Requests: Call Mon-Fri, 10 AM - 1 PM, or use our online form any time. Items are usually available the following business day. We now have weekly Thurs pickup in Mapleton; call for details. Item Returns: Mon-Thurs, 11 AM - 2 PM & Fri 11 AM - 6 PM in front lobby. Free Wifi: Bring your own device and use our free public wifi outside of both Florence and Mapleton locations. Look for the blue signs in the parking lot with more information. Go to siuslawlibrary.org or call 541-997-3132 to learn more! Siuslaw Public Library Thank you in advance for doing your share to secure a strong local economy in the community we are proud to serve. Jenna Bartlett Publisher jbartlett@thesiuslawnews.com 541-902-3524 $10 $20 $50 $100 Other Amount _______ Name __________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Phone__________________Email ___________________________________ Check Credit Card Name on Card:______________________Expiration date:_______________ Number:_______________________________________________________ Billing Zip Code: _____________ 3 Digit Security Code:_________________ SIUSLAW NEWS UNITY WITH OUR COMMUNITY Do you have a specific business you would like to sponsor: List here: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ We will send a gift card to the business(es) of your choice with your name. If would like to remain anonymous please check here. *This sponsorship is not tax deductible.