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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2015)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL October 14, 2015 5B Are you ready? D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS Earthquakes part 1 You Can Prepare for the Next Quake or Tsunami SOME PEOPLE THINK it is not worth preparing for an earthquake or a tsunami because whether you survive or not is up to chance. NOT SO! Most Oregon buildings will survive even a large earthquake, and so will you, especially if you follow the simple guidelines and start preparing today. If you know how to recog- nize the warning signs of a tsunami and understand what to do, you will survive that too—but you need to know what to do ahead of time! Government agencies and other emergency organiza- tions cannot protect you from the next earthquake or tsunami. Even under the best of circumstances, medi- be able to reach you for many hours, or even days. 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. What do I do? DURING AN EARTHQUAKE YOU SHOULD: If you are indoors, DROP and take COVER under a sturdy table or other furniture. HOLD ON to it and stay put until the shaking stops. Stay clear of items that can fall and injure you, such as Stay inside. You may be injured by breaking glass and falling objects if you run outside. If you are at the coast, walk to higher ground away from the ocean as soon as it is safe for you to move. PREPAREDNESS MATERIALS TO ASSIST YOU ARE AVAILABLE DURING SEPTEMBER AT CITY HALL COTTAGE GROVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT If you are driving, move your car as far out of the nor- away from structures or objects that could fall on you, such as bridges, overpasses, light posts, power lines, or trees. Stay inside your car. If you are in the mountains, or near unstable slopes, be alert for falling rocks, trees, or landslides that could be loosened by the earthquake. AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE YOU SHOULD: EVACUATE if you are in a TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE. Walk inland or to higher ground as soon as it is Check for injuries. Do not move seriously-injured per- sons unless they are in immediate danger. - ity lines, and fallen objects. Clean up any potentially harmful material spills. Expect aftershocks. Aftershocks following large earth- quakes can be large and damaging. Answer These Questions Before a Disaster During an emergency you’ll need immediate answers to many questions. Here are some questions you should answer long before a disaster strikes. Where will my family be and how will I reach them? • Make sure your family disaster plan includes: - Children who may be away at school, day care, or at other activities. - Planning for pets or livestock if you are away from home. - An out-of-the area contact to convey information to other friends and family members. • Discuss your safety and emergency plans with every- one in your family. Remember—Phone systems, such as land-based and cell phones, and Internet communications may be disrupted, or overwhelmed almost immediately. The impossible to travel. Where will I get medical help? "#$% medical emergencies. • Plan for back-up power if members of your family require electricity for life-saving medical equipment. Remember—The 9-1-1 system will likely be overload- ed or completely down, ambulances and emergency vehicles will be overwhelmed or have limited access and some medical facilities may not be operational. Am I prepared to live without the essentials? • Store water at home, work, and in your car because drinking water will be in short supply. • Keep at least one week’s worth of food and medicine on hand for everyone in your family. • Fill up your gas tank frequently and keep it at least half full because gasoline will be scarce. Remember—Utilities and water supplies may be dis- rupted for weeks. Disasters are hard to predict and usually are out of your control. But you can take steps to keep you and your family safe. How will I pay for things? • Keep cash on hand because banks may be closed and credit cards unusable. Remember—ATMs are likely to be out of order. How will I repair the damage to my home? • Examine what your insurance covers and consider &'( • Minimize losses by taking action to reduce your haz- ards. Remember—Construction materials and labor for re- pairs will be limited and costs may increase. Do I live, work or visit in a tsunami hazard zone? • If you are in a tsunami hazard area, determine your evacuation routes beforehand—you may only have 10 to 20 minutes to reach a safe zone on foot after feeling a very strong earthquake at the coast. • If you are in a safe area, typically above 100 feet above sea level, stay put. You will not have to evacuate. Who’s Going to save You WHO CAN YOU RELY ON to help you after a disaster? Who will provide you with food, water, shelter, and medical care? You might be surprised by the answer: you and your neighbors! A major earthquake or tsunami will likely overwhelm personnel and resources. In fact, it may take local, state, and federal agencies a week or more to provide the most basic relief. This is particularly true in the many locations on the coast and in rural areas of Or- egon. Getting prepared today by identifying and miti- gating hazards, readying supplies, and developing an emergency plan may make all the difference to you and your family during a disaster. You Live in Earthquake Country OREGON IS one of the most beautiful places in the United States to live with its high mountains, rugged coast and dramatic vistas. The geologic forces that have made it a spectacular place to live also make it one of the most earthquake-prone spots in the continental United States. Forces deep within the earth have folded and broken great slabs of the earth’s outer surface to create the Coast Range and the High Cascade volca- noes. How seriously you and your community are impacted and how quickly you recover from the next large Or- egon earthquake is largely a matter of what you know and how well you prepare for the inevitable. It is your personal responsibility to get prepared and to help your family do the same. How well you prepare will directly affect the quality of life you have following the earth- quake or tsunami. In 1993, a series of damaging earthquakes struck Or- egon. The magnitude 5.6 Scotts Mills (or Spring Break) earthquake caused over $30 million in damage in the Portland Metro area. Two magnitude 6.0 earthquakes hit the Klamath Falls area that same year, causing over $10 million in damage and one fatality. In the event of a much larger Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, the devastation would extend from the coast to the Cascade Range, from northern Cali- fornia to British Columbia. The resulting earthquake could be larger than the magnitude 8.8 earthquake and tsunami that struck Chile in February 2010. ALL AREAS OF OREGON HAVE EXPERI- ENCED EARTHQUAKES IN THE PAST AND WILL DO SO AGAIN IN THE FUTURE Preparing for disaster Learn about specifi c health threats and what you can do to reduce the risk to your health and safety. Make an emergency plan. Learn basic fi rst aid skills such as CPR. Always look to local authorities and health experts for specifi c, up-to-date information for your area. Information provided by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Cottage Grove Sentinel www.cgsentinel.com We’re here to help when you need us. 1515 Village Drive Cottage Grove 541-767-5500 @ cgsentinel @cgsentinel #cgsentinel Cottage-Grove-Sentinel Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster. • Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions. • Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home. • Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster. For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center. South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
