We learned a lot of lessons from the distant tsunami that reached our shores after the March 2011 earthquake in Japan. One of those lessons is that we should prepare ourselves and our families for the possibility that natural disaster can strike our community at any time.
Seismic science postulates that the Cascadia Subduction Zone has the very real possibility of producing a significant earthquake and a subsequent tsunami at any time in the Pacific Northwest. According to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, “The last known great earthquake in the northwest was in January, 1700, just over 300 years ago. Geological evidence indicates that great earthquakes may have occurred at least seven times in the last 3,500 years, suggesting a return interval of 400 to 600 years.”
If you live in Lincoln County and want to add another tool to your personal emergency preparation check list then head to the Lincoln County web site and look for this icon or graphic below. Click on it and you will navigate to a sign up page that you can populate with your personal information of preference for receiving alerts. It takes a few moments. The Sheriff’s office states that ” the information that you provide will be used for emergency purposes only. We will not give or sell your telephone numbers or email addresses to any vendor or other organization.”
You’ll receive alerts about severe weather, tsunami inundation area evacuations, fires, floods, toxic environmental issues and other emergencies using the notification system. Messages can be sent via cell phone, home phone, email, text messaging, fax, pager, PDA and more. Emergency Services will be conducting a Countywide test on January 17. This will be a great opportunity test the notification system and see how it works for you. Sounds like and effort worth participating in!
