There will be an earthquake town-hall meeting in Portland on April 21st from 6:30-9 PM at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel. A robust discussion will be had regarding the potential for damage from a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake as well as tips for mitigating and preparing for the incident. Several prominent seismologists and geologists as well as staff from the Portland Office of Emergency Management will be on hand.
For more information, contact Ivan Wong at ivan_wong@urscorp.com .
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wind Advisory for SE Columbia County
Wind advisory today (2/11) from 4 PM to midnight for extreme SE Columbia County, including the city of Scappoose.
Wind Advisory
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
926 AM PST THU FEB 11 2010
.A STRONG LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE ONSHORE NEAR VANCOUVER ISLAND
OR THE NORTHWEST TIP OF WASHINGTON AROUND MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT
BRINGING STRONG WINDS TO THE OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
ORZ006>008-WAZ039-120130-
/O.NEW.KPQR.WI.Y.0003.100212T0000Z-100212T0800Z/
GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-
SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HILLSBORO...OREGON CITY...GRESHAM...
SALEM...EUGENE...CORVALLIS...ALBANY...BATTLE GROUND...WASHOUGAL
926 AM PST THU FEB 11 2010
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT
PST TONIGHT FOR THE GREATER PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER METRO
AREAS...AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT.
* WINDS: SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH.
* TIMING: GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP AROUND 4 PM...WITH GUSTS OF
40-45 MPH POSSIBLE. STRONGEST PERIOD OF WINDS WILL BE LATER IN
THE EVENING...BETWEEN 7 PM AND MIDNIGHT...WHEN GUSTS TO 50 MPH
ARE EXPECTED.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: PORTLAND...VANCOUVER...EUGENE...CORVALLIS...
ALBANY...SALEM...HILLSBORO...OREGON CITY...GRESHAM...BATTLE
GROUND...WASHOUGAL
* IMPACTS: WIDESPREAD DAMAGE IS NOT EXPECTED...HOWEVER A FEW
DOWNED TREES AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE WITH WIND
GUSTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE
31 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 45 AND 57 MPH. WINDS OF
THESE MAGNITUDES MAY CAUSE MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE WITHOUT EXTRA
PRECAUTIONS. MOTORISTS IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE
CAUTION UNTIL THE WINDS SUBSIDE.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Columbia County EM on Twitter, Facebook
We are glad that you are enjoying our blog today! Did you know that we have Facebook and Twitter accounts as well that allow you to find pictures, event announcements and other items, as well as text alerts on your cell phone regarding urgent or preparedness information?
Our Twitter may be found at:
http://twitter.com/columbiacoem
On Facebook, do a search for "Columbia County Oregon Emergency Management" or go to:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Helens-OR/Columbia-County-Emergency-Management/134474983641
PLEASE NOTE: Text alerts from Facebook or Twitter are free services, but standard rates for text messaging may apply depending upon the contract or terms of use with your cell phone service.
Our Twitter may be found at:
http://twitter.com/columbiacoem
On Facebook, do a search for "Columbia County Oregon Emergency Management" or go to:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Helens-OR/Columbia-County-Emergency-Management/134474983641
PLEASE NOTE: Text alerts from Facebook or Twitter are free services, but standard rates for text messaging may apply depending upon the contract or terms of use with your cell phone service.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Proper Earthquake Procedures
A number of folks from around Columbia County have been recently receiving a forwarded e-mail regarding "new" procedures for earthquakes, such as curling up in a fetal position or evacuating buildings during earthquakes. The original information in the e-mail claims to come from a person who has worked in earthquake recoveries.
However, the information goes against proven earthquake response protocols, according to local emergency preparedness officials.
“The information in this e-mail does not align with what the vast majority of scientists and emergency planners have seen work,” says Derek White, interim director of Columbia County Emergency Management. “It is important that people have the right information when it comes to protecting themselves and loved ones during an earthquake.
Earthquakes are a very real threat to Columbia County. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is an earthquake fault that sits off the Oregon coast and ruptures every 300-500 years, with the last quake occurring in 1700. Subduction zone earthquakes are major seismic events, causing earthquakes and tsunamis seen in Anchorage in 1964 and Indonesia in 2004. “While this is the most likely cause of a future earthquake for us, there are some other faults nearby, so we need to be prepared,” White adds.
The procedure that has proven to work is drop, cover and hold on. This means dropping to the floor where you are at, getting under a sturdy desk or table, and staying there until the earthquake ends. Some other helpful tips from Columbia County Emergency Management include:
* Do not evacuate during the earthquake. You are very likely to be hit with debris, such as pieces of ceiling and glass. “It is highly unlikely with a Cascadia subduction zone quake that you will be able to walk at all in any regard,” White says.
* If you cannot get under something, drop beside a desk or something else that is relatively stable (low-to-ground file cabinets, interior walls, etc.), cover your head and stay there.
* Try to stay away from windows and the outside walls.
* Do not stand in door thresholds or frames as you are likely to be hit with debris.
* If you are outside, go to an open space away from buildings and power lines. Stay away from the bottoms of hills or underneath cliffs, as there could be landslides or rock falls.
* Once the earthquake ends, try to evacuate before tremors start. If you are stuck, try to save your breath by tapping on debris around you so that emergency responders can locate you more easily. Try to turn off electricity at breaker panels and gas lines as you leave.
For more information regarding the facts about earthquake safety, go to http://www.earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/ . For further information on local emergency preparedness, contact Emergency Management at 503-366-3931 or emergency.management@co.columbia.or.us .
However, the information goes against proven earthquake response protocols, according to local emergency preparedness officials.
“The information in this e-mail does not align with what the vast majority of scientists and emergency planners have seen work,” says Derek White, interim director of Columbia County Emergency Management. “It is important that people have the right information when it comes to protecting themselves and loved ones during an earthquake.
Earthquakes are a very real threat to Columbia County. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is an earthquake fault that sits off the Oregon coast and ruptures every 300-500 years, with the last quake occurring in 1700. Subduction zone earthquakes are major seismic events, causing earthquakes and tsunamis seen in Anchorage in 1964 and Indonesia in 2004. “While this is the most likely cause of a future earthquake for us, there are some other faults nearby, so we need to be prepared,” White adds.
The procedure that has proven to work is drop, cover and hold on. This means dropping to the floor where you are at, getting under a sturdy desk or table, and staying there until the earthquake ends. Some other helpful tips from Columbia County Emergency Management include:
* Do not evacuate during the earthquake. You are very likely to be hit with debris, such as pieces of ceiling and glass. “It is highly unlikely with a Cascadia subduction zone quake that you will be able to walk at all in any regard,” White says.
* If you cannot get under something, drop beside a desk or something else that is relatively stable (low-to-ground file cabinets, interior walls, etc.), cover your head and stay there.
* Try to stay away from windows and the outside walls.
* Do not stand in door thresholds or frames as you are likely to be hit with debris.
* If you are outside, go to an open space away from buildings and power lines. Stay away from the bottoms of hills or underneath cliffs, as there could be landslides or rock falls.
* Once the earthquake ends, try to evacuate before tremors start. If you are stuck, try to save your breath by tapping on debris around you so that emergency responders can locate you more easily. Try to turn off electricity at breaker panels and gas lines as you leave.
For more information regarding the facts about earthquake safety, go to http://www.earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/ . For further information on local emergency preparedness, contact Emergency Management at 503-366-3931 or emergency.management@co.columbia.or.us .
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