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
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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
