By John Cornelison on
3/26/2012 8:20 AM
VashonBePrepared is celebrating our 5th anniversary by sponsoring two of the state's foremost experts on Vashon's unique earthquake and tsunami risks. Recent scientific reports, a number based on lessons from Japan's devastating Tōhoku...
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By John Cornelison on
3/26/2012 7:56 AM
An ‘ongoing’ effort (but apparently in abeyance since 2002?!) to create an accurate seismic model for the Puget Sound region and British Columbia is the USGS’ Seismic Hazards Investigations in the Puget Sound (SHIPS) project. Since March 1998 SHIPS has conducted a series of seismic studies to better describe...
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By John Cornelison on
3/26/2012 7:32 AM
The Community Preparedness Webinar Series provides up-to-date information on community preparedness topics and resources available to citizens, community organizations, and Citizen Corps Councils. These webinars will feature new community preparedness topics several times each month and are free to the public. Each webinar will accommodate the first 500 visitors that enter the website at the time of the webinar. In addition to airing live, each webinar will be recorded and viewable after it completes at your convenience. View the current listings of webinars at: http://citizencorps.gov/resources/webinars/webinarlibrary.shtm ...
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By John Cornelison on
3/26/2012 6:46 AM
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By John Cornelison on
3/26/2012 6:32 AM
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By John Cornelison on
3/24/2012 10:53 AM
Some of our descriptions of potential disasters that might befall the Puget Sound region - and Vashon in particular - might sound a lot like crying “Wolf” to some. But there is a very serious reality out there, even if most of us haven’t been exposed to it in our brief lives here on earth.
The...
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By John Cornelison on
3/21/2012 12:06 PM
In digging through some old public relations materials for our new campaign, I came across this treasure of a VashonBePrepared promotional movie featuring long time volunteer Walt Stempek. (Walt has reported that Michael Monteleione filmed and edited this video. Most excellent!) Anyone have any additional stories about this?!
Watch it on VashonBePrepared’s new YouTube Channel: ...
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By John Cornelison on
3/21/2012 10:08 AM
Most folks think of an overseas or Cascadia based quake as generating a terrible tsunami – and they are right. However such a tsunami is not likely to cause massive damage to Vashon from what I’ve heard – largely due to the moderating influence of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. (It will be interesting to verify this at our upcoming April 18th community meeting with Washington State experts).
There...
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By John Cornelison on
3/21/2012 9:29 AM
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By John Cornelison on
3/21/2012 8:44 AM
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed consolidating their grants program for fiscal year 2013. This was met with criticism in Washington DC Tuesday. Democrats particularly questioned the proposed consolidation of 16 individual grant programs into the National Preparedness Grant Program (NPGP) during a hearing of the House Homeland Security emergency preparedness subcommittee. There were calls for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), port grants, transit grants and the State Homeland Security Grant Program to remain...
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By John Cornelison on
3/20/2012 7:56 AM
Ted Buehner, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service has announced a new Weather Spotter Training opportunity for the evening of April 26th.
The National Weather Service will train new and veteran spotters on how to look for and report significant weather events. The training includes video demonstrations. Interested citizens, Amateur radio, CERT, Citizen Corp, Law Enforcement, Transportation (Metro drivers, DOT) Fire, Public Works staff, and those who have weather instrumentation such as an anemometer are invited to attend!
Thursday, April 26th from 6:00-8:30 pm ...
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By John Cornelison on
3/11/2012 9:15 AM
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By John Cornelison on
3/11/2012 8:43 AM
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By John Cornelison on
3/11/2012 8:16 AM
Just a brief note to commemorate those whose lives have been disrupted and lost by the Tōhoku disaster one year ago today.
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By John Cornelison on
3/5/2012 9:22 AM
Just a quick report that power (and phone) has been out for parts of the west side (near Redding's Loop Road at least) for ~3 hours. Apparently a large tree fell across the power line near 216th St. on 111th Ave. The tree has been removed at this point and crews are working on repairing the line. Hopefully power will be restored within a couple more hours or less.
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By John Cornelison on
3/4/2012 3:24 PM
VashonBePrepared uses Constant Contact to manage several confidential email lists. These currently have many hundreds of users on them. The lists are free, and a great way to get the latest, authoritative information during an emergency.
VashonBePrepared Emergency Alerts
One list is for anyone who would like to receive emergency alerts by email. This is a great way to receive authoritative information directly from Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) and/or VashonBePrepared during critical events affecting Vashon and Maury Island residents and businesses.
Periodic VashonBePrepared Newsletter
I’m not sure that we have sent out very many of these in recent years but it is likely that we will start sending out seasonal newsletters to those who sign up for this list. ...
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By John Cornelison on
3/1/2012 8:41 AM
The DHS recently released the FY 2012 guidance and application kits for seven grant programs that support the National Preparedness Goal. Grants total more than $1.3 billion, a reduction of nearly $1 billion from FY 2011 and $1.5 billion below the President Obama’s FY 2012 request. The DHS preparedness grants give priority this year to applicants in the nation’s highest-risk areas, including urban areas, with a focus on terrorism prevention. “Given the significant reduction in grant funding this year, we are maximizing limited grant dollars by setting clear priorities and focusing on the areas that face the greatest risk,” DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement.
- Read full report at http://urgentcomm.com/policy_and_law/news/preparedness-grants-cut-20120229/
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By John Cornelison on
3/1/2012 8:27 AM
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By John Cornelison on
2/28/2012 9:58 PM
Basic Animal Emergency Services Training (BAEST), taught by the American Humane Association, costs $180 per person though CERT Volunteers who register through Catherine Cochrane can get in free! Registration is on a first come, first served basis. The registration deadline is this Friday, March 2nd. Click graphic to the right for details. ...
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By John Cornelison on
2/27/2012 6:27 PM
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By John Cornelison on
2/26/2012 5:24 PM
Be prepared to help your community.... get CERT Trained. Learn how to prepare and care for yourself, your family, your animals, and help out your community in times of power outages, emergencies or disasters. Community Emergency Response Team training starts March 16th. The free training will be held March 16th to May 4th (Fridays 6:00PM - 10:00PM) at Vashon Island Fire and Rescue’s Training Center. To register or for more information, please contact certvashon@yahoo.com or 463-4558 or contact your nearest CERT member!
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By John Cornelison on
2/21/2012 1:35 PM
This handy list (and mini-reviews) of iPhone apps for ham radio enthusiasts is courtesy of Keith Francisco – or more likely from http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2011/04/the-incomplete-list-of-ham-radio-iphone-apps/ – in either case, thanks! CallBook (Author: Dog Park Software, Cost: $1.99) Simple ham radio callbook lookup that accesses the WM7D database (or QRZ and Ham Call databases if you are a subscriber). Maidenhead Converter (Author: Donald Hays, Cost: Free)...
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By John Cornelison on
2/21/2012 8:50 AM
Vashon Maury Island Radio Club announces an Amateur Radio (Ham) License testing session will be held on Vashon Island around the middle of March. Test costs about $14. Take advantage of these Technician, General, and Extra levels tests given on island.
Training for the exams will not be provided this time, so you’d have to study the ARRL manuals yourselves or go off island for training. Exact date, and location TBA. Please contact Sharon at kharazi@aol.com if you want to take any level test. Details on the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club can be found at: www.w7vmi.org/
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By John Cornelison on
2/21/2012 8:41 AM
Japan’s...
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By John Cornelison on
2/8/2012 8:58 PM
Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage—A Practical Guide, Fourth Edition (FEMA E-74) Course Description Nonstructural components of buildings include all elements that are not part of the structural system; that is, the architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as furniture, fixtures, equipment, and other contents. During the recent earthquakes in Chile, New Zealand, Japan, Virginia and other earlier earthquakes in California, Washington, and other parts of the U.S., nonstructural failures have accounted for the majority of damage and injuries. In many cases, businesses, schools, hospitals, and other organizations had to spend excessive time and dollars for clean up and repair due to nonstructural failures; therefore impeding continued operations...
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By John Cornelison on
2/8/2012 8:53 PM
ALL ISLAND FORUM listening, learning and working together for our community Welcome Vashon is holding an All Island Forum later this month’s whose purpose is to provide a collaborative, participatory and effective forum for community dialogue & action. It seeks clarity on issues, consensus on decisions, and community participation on solutions. All Island Forum invites ALL ISLANDERS to an interactive forum to explore VASHON: What really matters to you? Join friends and neighbors to share ideas about the character and future of Vashon. For each of us, what are the essential characteristics of a Vashon worth working for? We are asking for wide reaching community participation as we as we hone our skills at listening and expressing our opinions, and begin to build a process through which we can make more nuanced and consensual decisions about matters that effect our islands as a whole. Get to know your neighbors better, gain more appreciation for others’ views, and learn more...
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By John Cornelison on
2/8/2012 8:48 AM
A...
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By John Cornelison on
2/1/2012 2:46 PM
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By John Cornelison on
1/31/2012 8:30 PM
Now Available for Android Users In an ongoing effort to save lives, About The Kids Foundation today announces the free release of the ICE Standard App for Google Android users. Currently rated “The #1 Most Downloaded Emergency Contact Information App” for Apple iPhone, the ICE Standard App protects users during an emergency by featuring critical information as a screensaver. In the event of an emergency, the ICE Standard App is designed to save lives by providing first time responders with immediate access to critical information about a patient. To help responders quickly identify a person’s condition, the App uses a tricolor system: Green (Good to Go), Yellow (Caution: Medications), and Red (Stop: Special Medical Condition or Life Threatening Allergies). In addition,...
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By John Cornelison on
1/30/2012 11:06 PM
Due to the high demand, a SECOND series of Food Storage for Emergencies workshops will be held on three Monday evenings, 7-9 pm! See details below. Please pre-register and pass the word! Vashon’s Food Security Working Group will be hosting a series of workshops to help families learn to stock their pantries for all sorts of emergencies-from earthquakes to power outages to job layoffs. Three Food Storage for Emergencies workshops will take place every other Monday, beginning February 6, 7:00...
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By John Cornelison on
1/11/2012 3:21 PM
…sometime in the next 500 years, according to a great blog a couple weeks back by the PSSN’s John Vidale, a regular contributor to their “Seismo Blog” How likely is it to go? Well you’ll have to read his blog that breaks down some of the inputs to evaluating the actual risk factor – which I think he never actually stated…
There’s a whole list of interrelated blogs on this topic which I saw after reading Ben Jervey’s nice post on the subject – which is a commentary of the NY Times post...
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By John Cornelison on
1/11/2012 3:15 PM
Cascadia Subduction Zone
Example: the 1700 earthquake that caused shaking and a tsunami that inundated the Oregon coast and reached as far as Japan. ...
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By John Cornelison on
1/11/2012 1:51 PM
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By John Cornelison on
1/11/2012 1:34 PM
Doomsday clock moves closer to midnight
Numerous articles (including USA Today’s) note that scientists have moved the hands of the doomsday clock toward midnight – as a visible metaphor for our lessened security due to our fuelish ways. It is notoriously hard to change our social (i.e., automotive) ways, but the consequences of our not taking a long term view are increasingly resulting in massive storm and economic damage today to societies across the globe.
Disaster risks are judged by multiplying the estimated...
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By John Cornelison on
1/11/2012 1:11 PM
According to the inspector general (IG) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), state and local fusion centers and emergency operations centers could improve the response of their jurisdictions to terrorism and natural disasters if they talked to each other more often. Many fusion centers and EOCs surveyed do not exchange information.
While Washington State’s fusion center’s near-daily briefing tends toward being a fear based police blotter, extracting news...
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By John Cornelison on
1/5/2012 8:18 AM
VashonBePrepared has been working with the Debi Richards and the Vashon Chamber of Commerce and a large number of local businesses this fall to promote business disaster preparedness. A useful new national program has just been announced that promises to provide some great guidance for all of us. The big aim:
Identify your risk
Make a mitigation project plan
Implement techniques for ensuring and enhancing business resilience
What a great new goal for Vashon businesses in 2012!
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)...
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By John Cornelison on
1/5/2012 7:39 AM
The new Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) district cook book, “What’s Cookin’ at VIFR” is now here! Find a wide variety of savory and sweet treats inside with names such as Hanks’s Homemade Salsa, Duey’s Margarita, Milt’s Rib Roast for 1,000, and the infamous “Mom’s Hamburger and Biscuit Thing”! There are sections on appetizers, soups & salads, main dishes, breads and rolls, desserts, cookies and candy, and ‘this & that’.
The...
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By John Cornelison on
12/14/2011 9:24 AM
The fall 2011 CERT Newsletter is out and contains a nice overview of CERT activities happening around the country. These serve as a good introduction to the wide range of purposes CERT volunteers are capable of. There is an emphasis in this newsletter of college campus CERTs - including an impressive photo of the Pasadena Community College (PCC) CERT trailer. Check...
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By John Cornelison on
12/11/2011 6:51 PM
A car accident snapped off the power pole at Dockton and Pt. Robinson roads last night about 6 PM. Unfortunately the accident curiously snapped the pole up about 20 feet high and took out the island’s primary electrical power feed. While most of island only experienced a 10 second outage, about 500 PSE customers had a couple hour service interruption. 1200 Maury Island people didn’t have power (and Comcast service) fully restored until about 3:30 PM today.
During the event Rick Frye wrote the following note to the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club’s email group, which I thought a great reflection on the event:
And while I don’t know anything about the particulars in this case, I do know that sometimes – especially when a pole breaks – a lower voltage line can come into contact with a higher voltage line and this will cause the lower voltage line to become hyper-energized leading to problems along that line that might wipe out a...
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By John Cornelison on
12/8/2011 8:43 AM
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By John Cornelison on
12/1/2011 9:47 AM
Here’s a reminder to attend the December 1st Community Dinner at the Vashon High School Common Room, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This month’s theme will be energy conservation, emergency preparedness and how to access and use the wonderful resources on this island to help in the event of an emergency. PSE will be handing out Take Winter by Storm ice scrapers, CFL bulbs, and low...
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By John Cornelison on
11/10/2011 8:19 AM
There were serious issues that presented the first nationwide emergency alert from working uniformly across the county. Some folks reported 30 seconds of dead air, others garbled audio. Some folks instead heard Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’! It is good we had this test as it points out that there is lots of work to be done – likely in various state’s infrastructures. More at: ...
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By John Cornelison on
11/8/2011 12:38 PM
CBS recently listed a number of sobering facts about earthquake insurance that anyone from a scesmicly active area - like those of us from the Salish Sea would do well to be familiar with. Most know it isn’t included in standard homeowner’s policies, but even with it beware of the large number of restrictions in comparison to fire or other policies.
The topics covered are:
Deductibles
Personal possessions
Exclusions
Loss of use
Uncovered losses don't count toward the deductible
Cost of coverage
Who suffers catastrophic claims
Mitigating risks
Read the article at www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-57319955/earthquake-insurance-8-things-you-need-to-know/...
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By John Cornelison on
11/8/2011 11:34 AM
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By John Cornelison on
11/3/2011 10:53 AM
The Fire District is sponsoring the community dinner at Vashon High School tonight. The school district puts on these dinners once a month to raise funds for the school’s lunch program. A suggested donation is $10 per person, but come by, enjoy a dinner and support this wonderful program. November 3rd Community Dinner Vashon High School Commons 5:30-7:00 pm $10 Suggested Donation Topics ...
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By John Cornelison on
11/3/2011 9:12 AM
Join FEMA Tuesday, November 8th to learn how the recently released National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) provides a more inclusive, collaborative and comprehensive approach to addressing disaster recovery issues and challenges. The NDRF defines how we will work together as a nation to best meet the disaster recovery needs of individuals, families, communities, and states. The NDRF is based on the principle...
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By John Cornelison on
10/31/2011 12:13 PM
Puyallup’s Emergency Management Department is hosting a free Emergency Preparedness Fair this Saturday at their fairgrounds. Learn to build an emergency kit, learn about their CERT, ARES & related citizen corps programs, fire safety and much more. www.cityofpuyallup.org/emergency-management/emergency-preparedness-fair/ ...
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By John Cornelison on
10/21/2011 11:31 AM
Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that contains models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. Hazus uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to estimate physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters.
HAZUS-MH is software developed by FEMA that analyzes risk from natural hazards in communities. Although Hazus-MH itself is free, it requires the users to have ArcGIS with ArcView license level.
Existing HAZUS-MH runs for Vashon (i.e. those for our 2005 Earthquake Study,...
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By John Cornelison on
10/21/2011 10:37 AM
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By John Cornelison on
10/21/2011 9:56 AM
In addition to helping maintain Vashon CERT’s generators at the local fire stations each month, Vashon’s Dennis Schroeder has been a volunteer at the Real Change newspaper for the past five years, as well as serving on its Board of Directors for a two-year term. For those who may not know, Real Change is the street newspaper that is sold in Seattle and the surrounding areas by homeless and low-income people. The mission statement...
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