Preparing for the Big One

A region-wide exercise to test the emergency response to a major disaster in the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Science points to a large magnitude earthquake happening along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the 800-mile fault line that runs from California to the Island of British Columbia, on average once every 200 to 500 years. That means we may be about due.

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake along this fault, and the resulting tsunami, is the most complex disaster scenario that emergency management and public safety officials in the Pacific Northwest could face. Cascadia Rising was an emergency simulation exercise that happened this past June 7th -10th to address such a disaster.

Federal officials estimated more than 20,000 people were involved in the four day disaster drill, representing various federal agencies, the U.S. military, and state and local emergency response managers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho, Native American Tribes and emergency management
officials in British Columbia.

Simulating the massive earthquake and tsunami was a way of testing plans and procedures and is an invaluable way to tell what worked and what didn’t. Some of the major lessons learned? How important information sharing and good communication are, as well as the need to address key resources like fuel and food.

Did you know?

  
September is National Preparedness Month. Sponsored by FEMA, it encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. Take part and get more resources at www.ready.gov/get-involved  and community.fema.gov.

Emergency Preparedness

Contributed by Al Filmore, Trainer / Consultant, Evergreen Safety Council

In today’s ever changing world we need to be prepared for whatever disaster that could befall us. This means, but is not limited to:

• Disasters that we know are coming: storms, and

• Disasters that happen suddenly: tornado, earthquakes, etc.

Some people don’t realize that disasters can leave you with the few things you can carry out in a hurry. We need to understand that preparedness is before an incident happens.

Separate kits should be in your car, at home, and at work. I myself have a backpack.     

Things you could carry in your disaster kit:

• First Aid Kit 
• Rope 
• AM/FM Radio w/batteries/combination wind up 
• Light sticks 
• Ponchos with hood 
• Flashlights wind-up or battery (L.E.D last longer) 
• Bottled water 
• Hygiene supplies (tissues, towelettes, infectious waste bag, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, absorbent towel and feminine pad) 
• Survival blankets 
• Gloves 
• Plastic bags 
• Tarpaulin or plastic folded nicely 
• Food bars 
• Meals ready to eat (MRE’s) 
• N95 dust masks 
• Whistles 
• Collapsible water/ shower container

Your Disaster Plan should contain:

• A contact outside of the area 
• A family meeting place 
• Documents with allergy information, blood type, medications, and dosage 
• Glasses, prescription card

Some families are using smart phones to store information and putting quick response (QR) UPC stickers with In Case of Emergency (ICE) information to send updated information to each other, or a central site like the Red Cross Safe and Well site for declared disasters.

These are sites you can refer to for more information and to help you be better prepared at home, while at play and when at work.

https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms//

http://3days3ways.org/

http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

http://www.icesticker.com/Instructions.html

http://www.ready.gov/

Evergreen Safety Council also offers customized onsite training at your company to help everyone be prepared. If you need help, give us a call 800-521-0778.

Stop, Drop and Hold

Contributed by Norm Nyhuis, Trainer / Consultant, Evergreen Safety Council

OK, we all saw the evening news or heard the report on the radio; Washington D.C. and the surrounding area was shaken up today, by a 5+ earthquake. While some may argue that "DC" could use a bit of shaking up, I was more impressed by what I saw in the video clips and reporting from correspondents who were there: in short, they did what we in the safety and preparedness industry have been telling everyone NOT to do.

Once the initial realization that a quake was in progress, and people got past the normal denial that most of us will experience, I saw literally no one on the video clips that were broadcast who took the recommended procedure of "Drop, Cover & Hold".

Too many people literally had that "deer in the headlights" look as the video cameras captured the moment. Granted there are few earthquakes in the "DC" area, at least as compared to the west coast, but they have happened in "DC", in the past.

Once outside, most people reached for their cell phones - this is a very bad thing to do. The telephone system, including the cell phone network, is not capable of providing service to every subscriber AT THE SAME MOMENT. The result is as best, "slow dial tone" or simply no dial tone. When an earthquake hits, and after addressing any injuries and accounting for those around you, hang up any telephone that has been shaken "off hook". This will allow those who really do need to call 9-1-1 to actually get dial tone, to make that emergency call. There will be plenty of time after the initial response is underway to make that call to your friends to share your experiences.

Let's take this as a reminder, to review the simple things we can do to be prepared for an earthquake;
* practice "Drop, cover & hold"
* buy or build a 72 hour emergency supply kit
* store water in dark colored containers - not plastic milk jugs - a gallon per person per day is a good start (don't forget your pets need water too)
* set up an out of state contact for you and your family to call if you are unable to get home from work or school following the quake

Interstate phone service will be restored first, if there is physical damage to the telephone lines - it literally will be easier to call out of state than across town.
Check out these and other tips at http://www.ready.gov/, and let's all be prepared for the next one.

Safety & Health Solutions - July edition

Evergreen Safety Council produces a monthly newsletter covering a variety of safety topics. Each month we will provide a link here to the online PDF.

Inside this Issue:
Lead Article – Planning for Off-Site Hazardous Materials Incidents

Summer Riding Tips

Evergreen Safety Council / Washington Employers Association Alliance

Be Courteous, Patient and Prepared

Why Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls is important

Notes from the Road

What were we thinking back then?

Fireworks Safety

You can also sign up to receive an electronic copy via email or hard copy via the mail. This link will also take you to a full archive with over four years of past issues.

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and read all about what's going on in the world of safety & health.

We made it out alive

Today at 8:15 am the building began to shake....fire alarms sounded...and various other emergencies were imagined. Staff members grabbed their coats (and coffees), and headed for our rally point at the back of our parking lot.

Evergreen Safety Council was participating in the Cascade Neighborhood Preparedness Project: Evacuation Drill. The purpose of the evacuation drill was to:

• Exercise our organizations’ building evacuation plans (as normally conducted on an annual basis)


• Gain greater awareness and understanding of evacuation plans across the neighborhood


• Improve emergency preparedness for our staff, individual organizations and the neighborhood

Has your organization held an evacuation drill in the past year? Being prepared is key to ensuring employee and visitor safety. If you can schedule an evacuation drill for your whole organization (as appropriate) great! If not, there is still great value in you or key leaders and facility staff walking through your plans –the more people from your organization that participate, the better - even if it is just a small representative group.

If you don't know where to start, ESC trainers can help. Contact Eric Tofte for more information.

All the pictures from this morning are posted on the Evergreen Safety Council Facebook page.

Stay safe!

Safety & Health Solutions - May edition

Evergreen Safety Council produces a monthly newsletter covering a variety of safety topics. Each month we will provide a link here to the online PDF.

Inside this Issue:

Lead Article – Emergency Preparedness

People in Safety – Jeff Long, OSHA 500 and HAZWOPER Instructor

Regular Articles:

• When is Compression-Only (Hands-Only) CPR Appropriate?


• Five Things I’d Like to See


• Zirkle Fruit Awarded the Safety Excellence Award


• Positioning Your Vehicle Safety in the Great Outdoors


• Regular Features: Membership Corner, Forklift Corner, Calendar of Events, Safety Gallery, and more....

You can also sign up to receive an electronic copy via email or hard copy via the mail. This link will also take you to a full archive with over four years of past issues.

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and read all about what's going on in the world of safety & health.