Responding to an M9 Earthquake (Cascadia subduction zone)
Instructions on surviving a cataclysmic seismic event.
By: TREY KODMAN
Introduction:
It is difficult to say whether or not there will be a devastating subduction zone earthquake that will last beyond 5 minutes and destroy the estimated 50%-90% of infrastructure along the North American Pacific northwest coastal areas within our lifetimes.
Knowing what to do when it happens will ultimately decide who survives. In my online-published article on Substack.com, I only cover preparing for two weeks after the initial seismic event. I did not detail anything about retaining functions and resources at your home, workplace, or community you may encounter while traveling through dangerous territory if needed. That is what I intend to do here with these instructions.
Most importantly, some of these checklists may not be for everyone. Whether it be from anxiety, fear of injury, or lack of previous experience, I DO NOT RECOMMEND anyone recklessly put themselves or coerce anyone else into a harmful situation. Read this for knowledge, but use that knowledge at your own risk and responsibility.
Situational Awareness:
We all know where we live, but do we know that an earthquake some call the “Big One” could happen at any moment? And I don’t mean the Californian San Andreas fault “Big One.” In the Pacific Northwest, there is an offshore fault around 800 miles long parallel to the coast. Geologically, it slips big time every 300 to 500 years, the last time in the year 1700. This enormous event has happened regularly for tens of thousands of years, the geologists say. Do you feel safe with this knowledge thinking about the structural integrity of your home, school, workplace, and the roads and bridges you travel over?
Improving this single facet of individual perception of a northwesterner’s reality is the essence of collectively increasing society’s value. Oral history was what the tribes of pre-Columbus times had to remind their next generations of what was eventually bound to happen. Why not do the same thing, but improve on the idea by annotating and putting into action what can soften the discomfort of a collapsed region.
Once You Have Your Designated Supplies:
HOME
Know your expiration dates on perishables, and regularly check for dampness and adjust as needed.
Never stop preparing: earn and update your First Aid/CPR certification, study survival skills, exercise regularly.
Get your family members, roommates, and neighbors onboard with preparing for historically regional natural disasters. Education is preparation.
WORK
Know ahead of time what you need to do when frequenting your common areas: ducking under a desk, immediately evacuating, stopping your vehicle.
Make sure your employer and coworkers know what they need to do in the event of a natural disaster while on the job. Are team evacuation plans required?
Plan routes accessible to your home, local hospital, or evacuation area if in a tsunami zone. Are there bridges or tall buildings that might collapse?
STORAGE UNIT and/or MOBILE HOME
Have a secondary set of supplies if your home or apartment has suffered damage, is unlivable, or possibly a complete loss. RVs are ideal.
Plan the location, route to, and availability to enter a storage facility if there is no power, lights, or gate entrance operable.
Perhaps parking a mobile home unit at your home is the best plan to store supplies, escaping a weak structural collapse, and option in moving if needed.
Expectations: What can happen/What you might have to do
When the phones don’t work
Turn them off. You will soon realize the power is infrequent, if not wholly down several days or weeks.
If there is a signal, start with SMS/text messages as phone calls will overload a system and clog connectivity.
Keep communications limited to a minimal relay of only essential information. Keep devices off if not available to charge freely.
Keep a healthy charge if you need to take photos or videos to document an event or liability reasons.
If evacuating, DO NOT FORGET your charging cord and plug.
When in your car/public transit
Immediately exit from potential dangers. Never doubt and keep driving. Gaps can occur in roadways. And refrain from parking under anything that can fall.
However minimal, do not forget your survival kit if you have to park and walk. Recommended is some kind of knife/glass-breaking tool.
Always keep fresh drinkable water with you. If you have to walk after an earthquake, you will not regret this decision.
If you are required to evacuate
Only take what can help you start over if unavailable to return in a small number of days: identification paperwork, health records, titles, etc.
Bring your pets no matter how unmanageable they may be. You will regret leaving them behind for someone else to rescue later.
Wear hiking boots or walking shoes. Traversing a mountain range to a more stable geologic area may become necessary.
Learn to realize urban areas hold many more dangers after a violent earthquake than you can see. The safest places will be on hard ground at higher elevations away from bodies of water.
Do not try to become a hero
When in times of imminent danger, never put yourself or others in harm’s way, even if to save someone else. Patience before hastily acting can save someone’s life more effectively. Wait for help if contactable.
Leave the most difficult tasks for the professionals. Understand that any significant natural disaster within the United States will be met with every possible resource and trained officials responding to it.
There are limited tasks citizens can accomplish, but only with experience. These tasks are not limited to shutting off gas valves, extinguishing small fires with approved equipment, and performing CPR on those who can promptly get transported to a medical facility.
Conclusion/Disclaimer:
With scientists learning more and more about the geologic structure of the continent, perhaps we will know before it happens that the Big One is on the way with research. Until then, we must rely on the research invested into www.ready.gov/kit, https://www.shakeout.org/, and ShakeAlert®. All other information found above I gathered based on months of journalistic research from the publication of this article.