Categories
Our City Our Neighborhood

Are you ready for the Big One?

SESNA and City of Salem are sponsoring a series of neighborhood discussions about earthquake and emergency preparedness.

The West Coast is overdue for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. That means a 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami at the coast, and at least a 7.0 earthquake here in Salem.

Most or all bridges will fail, power and water will be out of service for weeks or months, grocery stores will be empty, and there will be no cell service.

We can expect to be without any assistance for at least two weeks, as first responders deal with coastal communities. What will you do to be prepared?

Community Emergency Response

Community Emergency Response Team logo

SESNA is teaming up with the City of Salem’s Community Emergency Response Team to bring a three-part series of discussions to your local parks this summer. The talks are twenty minutes, plus question and answer time, and will include useful handouts and checklists to take home.

Get a Plan – The first in the series will help you understand what can happen and how to prepare. Aside from the Big One, we have flooding and other emergencies that can occur. Having a plan to take care of yourself, your family, and your neighbors laid out in advance will help you when and if you need to put it into action. – Tuesday, June 27, 6:30 PM at Aldrich Park picnic shelter

Get a Kit – The second discussion will focus on how to assemble an emergency kit. Remember, no assistance for two weeks. That means you need to provide food, water, medications, and other necessities for yourself and your family for two weeks, possibly longer. Do you know what you need? – Tuesday, July 25, 6:30 PM at Lee Park

Get Involved – Salem sponsors Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. A neighborhood with a group of CERT-trained volunteers not only has neighbors who know how to administer first aid, treat drinking water, fill and install sandbags, and more, but also gains access to a cache of emergency supplies. – Tuesday, August 22, 6:30 PM at Richmond Park, east of Richmond School

The sessions will precede the regular monthly public meetings of SESNA.