What kind of emergencies and disasters happen in the Northwest?
The Northwest regularly experiences power failures, floods, windstorms, severe winter weather, wildland fires, etc. These events often cause secondary emergencies such as communications and transportation disruptions, building damage, and long-term power failures. Any of these undermine business continuity by disrupting delivery of government services, medical care, sanitation, damage inventory, or delay production and distribution schedules.
Can an earthquake as large as those that occur in California happen in the Northwest?
The Juan de Fuca fault off the coast of Oregon and Washington is capable of producing an earthquake larger than the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco and those along California's San Andreas fault. Washington and Oregon are earthquake country.
Should I stand in a doorway to protect myself during earthquakes?
Most earthquake injuries occur from falling objects - pictures, contents of kitchen cabinets, ceiling tiles, and light fixtures. Standing in a doorway does not protect you from falling objects. To protect yourself Duck, Cover, and Hold On. Duck under a table or other sturdy object. Cover your head and neck with one arm. Hold onto the table leg with the other arm to keep the object from moving. After the shaking stops look for broken glass before crawling out. Check yourself and others or injuries. Place the phone back in the cradle if it fell out.
What precautions should I take to protect myself from disasters?
Three steps -
1. Help your family become familiar with Duck, Cover, and Hold On.
2. Put a personal emergency kit in your car so you always have basic emergency supplies with you. Emergency Planning Resources, Inc. doesn't sell kits, but the American Red Cross does.
3. Join your neighborhood Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This is a group of neighbors trained to help each other until help arrives. Emergency response agencies can't do it all. Call your fire department to learn more.