The event, preceding California’s Tsunami Preparedness Week March 25–29, took place in the 3rd council district, which Suzie Price represents, and, during a press conference at the fair, she emphasized the importance of having a plan and working with neighbors in response to tsunamis and earthquakes.
“Pretty much in every one of our neighborhoods, we have active CERT [Community Emergency Response Team] volunteers who are prepared to take an active role in the event of an emergency and to notify their neighbors and to work together to have a plan,” Price said. “Today’s fair and the walk [are] just another example of how hard the City is working to try to educate the community on emergency preparedness.”
Kevin Miller, Cal OES Tsunami Program lead, said events such as Saturday’s are the cornerstone of community preparedness.
“The State of California is really pleased to see events like this,” Miller said. “We have worked over a number of years to develop and understand the tsunami hazard along the coast. We’ve mapped that [threat], going back to 2009, comprehensively along the coast, and this type of event– walking from your potential hazard area to safe, high ground– is really the pinnacle of what we see as preparedness.”
Jason Ballmann, communications manager for SCEC, encouraged residents to become familiar with their particular zones.
“We want to remind everyone that you can go and get to know your zone,” Ballmann said. “You can take control of how well you respond to a tsunami by going to tsunamizone.org/knowyourzone. You can get maps for tsunami modeling and inundation there.”
Officials at the event also stressed the importance of safety for those who live on boats. Long Beach Fire Department Lifeguard Captain David Guerra explained that his department refers to those individuals as “live-aboards.”
“In the event of a tsunami warning, we’ll work with members of marine patrol and law-enforcement to get out the warning to the people who actually live in the marinas on their boats,” Guerra said. “These are their homes, and we work with them to get to higher ground and get away from this event.”
A pamphlet entitled “Tsunamis: What Boaters Should Know,” which officials at the resource fair provided, indicates two “natural warnings” that a tsunami is coming. Those on shore may experience the ground shaking, a loud “roar” from the ocean and the water receding exceedingly far and exposing the sea floor. Those on water may feel the earthquake through the hulls of their boats and see a rapid, extreme shift to an outgoing tide.
These warnings are indications that a tsunami could arrive within minutes, and one’s response should be determined by location, according to the brochure. Those on land or whose boat is tied to the dock should leave the vessel behind and immediately head to higher elevation on foot, since there would not be enough time to save the boat. Those in deep water– 30 fathoms, or 180 feet– are deemed safe, but those not quite at such depth should head farther out. Those who are on the water but can reach land within 10 minutes should quickly move toward the shore and then to higher ground right away. However, boaters who cannot do so should immediately head to deeper waters.
Guerra also stressed that residents in general should become as self-reliant as possible, since City resources may be overwhelmed after a disaster.
“In the event of natural disasters– be it earthquake or tsunami– where your fire, police and disaster-preparedness departments are going to be taxed to their limit,” he said, “it’s those times that we really rely on the public’s involvement and the preparedness in taking that proactive approach in helping us do our jobs in being more effective in helping the public.”
More Information
tsunamizone.org
tsunami.ca.gov
ready.gov/tsunamis