POSTED: March 18, 2022
(Astoria, OR) – This year’s Tsunami Preparedness Week finds Clatsop County with two new resources designed to help local residents and communities prepare.
“Tsunami Preparedness Week is from March 21 to 25 and it provides an opportunity for people to find out what resources can help them prepare for a tsunami striking Clasop County,” said Tiffany Brown, Clatsop County Emergency Manager. “Local, state and federal stakeholders have worked for years to develop resiliency plans, train local officials in emergency response practices and inform residents of how to prepare for and survive such a disaster.”
The county Board of Commissioners recognized Tsunami Preparedness Week earlier this month with a proclamation urging residents to “work together to create a more secure society” by taking steps to reduce the potential impacts from these natural disasters.
Two new resources are available to aid these efforts:
BEAT THE WAVE
The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) recently released the last of several “Beat the Wave” tsunami evacuation maps covering Clatsop County communities.
The new guides build on existing state maps by illustrating the best routes to higher, safer ground, and showing the recommended speed (example: walk, jog or sprint) that a person needs to maintain to escape from a tsunami. The maps also show which bridges are likely to fail and be unusable.
Go to the DOGAMI website for more information
EVACUATION FACILITIES PLAN
Another new resource is the Tsunami Evacuation Facilities Improvement Plan (TEFIP). The TEFIP identifies existing and potential new evacuation routes for communities and areas within the anticipated inundation zones.
The plan also suggests sites for vertical evacuation facilities in areas of the county where on-foot evacuation would be most difficult.
The TEFIP is funded by an Oregon Department of Transportation grant and developed by the county Community Development Department.
The plan was presented to the Board of Commissioners for review March 15, and will be reviewed by the county Planning Commission and Recreational Lands Planning Advisory Committee before final approval, currently scheduled for May.
More information on the TEFIP is available on the county website.
SENIOR OFFICIAL TRAINING
On March 24 Clatsop County Emergency Management will host an interactive workshop with more than two dozen local senior officials designed to help them understand what issues they will face during a disaster, identify planning gaps and strengthen relationships that will be called on in a disaster.
BE PREPARED
- Have a go kit and supplies ready so you can evacuate at a moment’s notice.
- Know where you need to go from where you currently are: work, home, school or when recreating.
- For a near-shore earthquake and tsunami: The shaking is your warning. Don’t wait for a siren or alert – get to high ground fast. Near-shore tsunamis may reach land in as little as 15 minutes.
- For distant tsunamis: Because distant tsunamis may take several hours to arrive, you will be alerted by media and Clatsop Alerts. Sign up for Clatsop Alerts here.
More information on tsunami preparedness is on the Clatsop County website.