John's Vashon Preparedness Blog

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...

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...

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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A 210 foot long fishing boat lost in last year’s March 11th Japan tsunami is about 150 miles off of the Canadian coastline according to a new news story on the Canadian Yahoo site.

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...

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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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...

When you notice a tsunami bearing down on you, you can now pull out your smartphone to learn which way to run! The Tsunami Evacuation NW online portal and iPhone and Android apps will also tell you if you work or live...

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...

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 ...

In “Quake catastrophe like Japan's could hit Pacific Northwest, new data show” M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com also reports on last month’s reports at the American Association for the Advancement of Science – noting that the Cascadia quake has numerous parallels with Japan’s Tōhoku disaster one year ago.

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According to Bill Steele, the public is woefully unprepared for a certain disaster: we just don’t know when. Mr. Steele is Seismology Lab Coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington Department of Earth and Space Sciences where he has worked since 1993.

In a widely reported story (covered by USA Today and many other major papers across the country), the Longview Daily News reports...

Just a brief note to commemorate those whose lives have been disrupted and lost by the Tōhoku disaster one year ago today.

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.

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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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/

Not too surprisingly, disaster preparedness is not at the forefront of most Americans priority – but many don’t even have any plans. The original research was done by the Persuadable Research Corporation with reports of the survey released by PRWeb and the Homeland Security News Wire.

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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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Got a business on Vashon? Here’s what you need to know to avoid disruption after a fire, a storm, a pandemic, or an earthquake. It is courtesy of the Washington State’s Emergency Management Division’s Business Preparedness Website, that includes a ton of additional resources to help your business survive!

Step 1: Develop a Business Continuity Plan to ensure core functions and key personnel are identified and to ensure normal operations are resumed as quickly as possible.

Step 2: Promote...

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!

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)...

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/

Japan’s...

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...

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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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,...

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...