presentation to alpha delta kappa honor society

Alpha Delta KappaSigma Chapter

Carol DunnCity of Bellevue

Office of Emergency Management

What steps have you taken to be prepared?

Our brains and disaster

Our systems block out future risk

Photo by bitboy

“C’est la vie”

“What will be will be”

"You just take the good with the bad. You got to go somehow...So why not under six feet of mud?“*

“Have faith, Opi! God is good!”**

*Seattle Times: Orting Resident on risk from volcano**NY Times: “The Day of the Tsunami” 9/30/09

• Every risk that can be identified in advance, can be reduced or avoided with the decision is made to act.

• Every risk that is avoid, is one less thing that goes wrong.

Disasters are inevitable

Cold Arctic Blasts

Hot Tropical Weather

Source: Environment Canada

Weather: Rain

• Pineapple Express– Flooding/River &

Urban– Mudslides– Transportation/

Commerce Disruptions

Weather: Snow

• Convergence zone, but also occasional weather events.

• Cold• Disrupted

Transportation/ Commerce

http://www5.kingcounty.gov/iMAP/viewer.htm

King County iMAP

University of Washington Neptune Project

Best thing about earthquakes:

We have a say about almost everything.

Except when it will happen.

Every problem has a solution

Earthquakes

• Subduction– 5 minutes: we will

feel shaking about 2 minutes

– Region wide damage– Highest buildings

have largest problems

– Likely to generate tsunami/seiche

– Aftershocks likely

Earthquakes: Shallow

• Lasts about 20 seconds

• Very intense localized shaking

• 1,100 years ago: with Elliot Bay Tsunami, landslides

• Aftershocks likely

Earthquakes: Deep/ Benioff Zone

• 2001 Nisqually• Usually every 20-50

years• Lasts about 20-30

seconds• Effects most of Area• Moderate Shaking

Some truths we need to realize

• We provide an amazing gift when we teach others how to identify and reduce risks.

– What risks exist and how to reduce them– What resources exist & how to access

them– We are our own best resource

We can avoid injuries

• Heavy objects placed high become projectiles during earthquakes

Most fixes pretty easy

Best: low, wood --Bolted to Foundation

Pretty good in most earthquakes

Not great in Subduction zone quakes

Worst for earthquakes

Worst: Un-reinforced brick (recognized by levels of brick ends)

Not very good: reinforced bricks (recognized when all bricks show their sides)

Not very good: Retrofitted masonry (recognized by the added bolts)5 out of 6 were damaged during the 2001 Nisqually Quake

Unreinforced Masonry

Bad for Quakes: Soft Structures

I’m in a ‘bad’ building!

• Retrofit– Anchor masonry to wood– Add Framing

• Still will be risks

• Rebuild– Create a new safer building

• Lose character and feeling of history

• Relocate– Currently located in one of the most

dangerous parts of the city• Lose character and history

Disasters = disruption

Disruption happens

• That we may not have access to stores, medicine, etc. on short notice & for a long time

• Emergency information broadcast on:– radio.–2-1-1 (multiple languages)– Internet: www.RPIN.ORG

Disaster Supplies

How to start?

Where to put them?

How will your schools do?

• How will the schools be affected?– Are non structural items secure?– Will all of the parents be able to return?– Do all of the schools have the resources

and plans to reduce the harm from any disaster?

– Have future risks been analyzed objectively?

Pledge to take it seriously!

• Literally: write down a statement to remind you that you want to act-put it where you can see it.

• Reward every step forward!!

School Preparedness Resources

• FEMA: Incremental Seismic Renovation for Schools

• Spreadsheet for School Preparedness Supplies

• Upcoming meeting for PTSA Preparedness Representatives

• Information on grants and toolkits

Questions?

• Carol Dunn– cdunn@bellevuewa.gov– 425-452-7926