Living in the Pacific Northwest, wind and rain are the norm for the West side of the mountains. Power outages can be quite common. During the heavy rain season, flooding occurs. Around the Mt Rainier area earthquake preparedness signs are a constant reminder that it may happen someday. Along the coast, Tsunami Route signs are posted directing people where the safe routes for evacuation are. On the East side of the mountains, summer is fire season. It is just part of living in the PNW and many have learned to live with it.
Unfortunately, the majority of people in the PNW are not prepared.
Everyone who owns a home recognizes the need for fire insurance. We hope there will never be a fire. Nevertheless, we pay for insurance to cover such a catastrophe, should it occur. We ought to do the same with reference to family welfare.
Gordon B. Hinckley
The Emergency Management Division has a variety of useful tools to help a family prepare for any emergency, including suggestions in regard to pets. Preparation will relieve anxiety and give family members the confidence to handle what could be extreme conditions.
Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, internet or even your cell phones may be cut off for many days. You may even have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You probably will not have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you need. Emergency Management Division
Learn how to:
1. Make a Communication Plan and determine what happens if the family is separated, how do you reconnect?
2. Create an Action Plan.
3. Learn how to store water.
4. Build an Emergency Kit for home and the vehicle. What is a Grab and Go kit?
5. Secure important documents and how to include them in the preparations.
6. Fire Safety.
7. What is Utility safety?
8. What supplies should you store under the bed for when emergencies happen at night.
9. How to practice for drop, cover, and hold.
10. Best ways to shelter in place when it is better to stay put.
11. How to conduct a home hazard hunt.
12. What if you have to evacuate.
We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge: so many lives wouldn’t have to be lost if there was enough disaster preparedness. – Petra Nemcova
The Emergency Management helps you take what is a lot of information and shows you how to break it up into small chunks, without being overwhelmed. It is better to be safe. The more prepared you are, the easier the emergency will go. Learn how on their website.
