Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Preparedness

We all know disaster can strike at any time. Thankfully most of us will live entire lives without being affected by a major disaster. However, no one is immune, and everyone should be prepared for the unthinkable.

In the event of the unthinkable, is your family prepared? If you’re away from home when disaster strikes, will you have a degree of peace of mind, knowing your family is prepared and knows what to do?

Why Preparedness is Essential

Local government and relief agencies work hard to prepare for major disasters. However, despite their best efforts, there will be chaos for at least the first 24-48 hours after any major disaster.

For example: Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters in American history. We will never experience a hurricane, but we are likely to experience “The Big One,” the devastating earthquake we know will arrive someday. In New Orleans, everyone knew Hurricane Katrina was coming, so they could prepare and/or evacuate. There will be no forewarning of The Big One.

Island County, Washington, is situated near several fault lines, including the Cascadia Subduction Zone and the Southern Whidbey Island Fault (SWIF). The SWIF, in particular, is considered a significant threat, capable of generating a magnitude 7.4 earthquake. Other notable faults include the Devil's Mountain Fault, Strawberry Point Fault, and Utsalady Point Fault.

Disaster Response—The Cold, Hard Facts

Consider the reality of emergency response in Island County following a major, widely destructive earthquake.

A 7.4 earthquake is projected to do extensive damage to all County roads and highways, causing nearly complete road closures.
Neighboring communities will also sustain severe damage.
ICOM 9-1-1 will be swamped.
In spite of everyone’s best efforts, there will be far less than adequate emergency assistance available to most of the population for 2 or 3 days, maybe longer.

What Can I Do?

If you are prepared for The Big One, you are prepared for anything. While government emergency preparedness agencies recommend you be prepared to be completely self-sufficient for three days, we strongly recommend you be prepared to be completely self-sufficient for at least 7 days.

Where do I begin?

The most important disaster preparedness step is make a plan.
Review the plan once a year; update as necessary.
Choose a family member/friend in another area/state to serve as an information source for you and your family: everyone calls there to get/leave information when they can’t directly contact any other family members.
Put together survival kits and make sure everyone knows where they are kept.
Carry some basic survival items in your car: water, food, flashlights, bandages, Mylar survival blankets, etc.
After an earthquake, the floor is likely to be littered with broken glass. Put a spare pair of shoes and a flashlight—basic necessities should the earthquake occur in the middle of the night—in a plastic grocery bag and tie it to the headboard of each family member’s bed.
Remember that without electricity there is no gasoline, no ATM machine, no way to buy groceries, no way to charge your cordless phone battery
Keep an emergency supply of cash on hand.
Have an old fashioned landline telephone: it will work if the electricity is out.
Keep the gas tank in your car at least half full at all times.

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