The city of Mercer Island will conduct a Cascadia Rising exercise to test its earthquake response capabilities on June 7-10, according to a press release from FEMA and Mercer Island Emergency Management.
The exercise review will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26 in the City Hall Council Chambers.
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is the most complex disaster scenario that emergency management and public safety officials in the Pacific Northwest could face, according to the release.
Recent subduction zone earthquakes around the world underscore the catastrophic impacts the Island will face when the next CSZ earthquake and tsunami occurs in the region. A 9.1 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia in 2004 resulted in 228,000 fatalities, with 18,000 people killed in a 9.0 quake in Japan in 2011 and 500 killed in the 2010 earthquake in Chile, with an 8.8 magnitude.
“Conducting successful life-saving and life-sustaining response operations in the aftermath of a Cascadia Subduction Zone disaster will hinge on effective coordination and integration of government at all levels — cities, counties, state, federal, military, tribal nations — as well as non-government organizations and the private sector,” according to the press release.
Mercer Island staff will be testing operational communications and the city’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) capabilities.All participating Eastside cities, known as “Zone 1,” will be using the Cascadia Rising exercise to cross-train in other jurisdictions’ EOCs to learn each other’s operating procedures and to better prepare mutual aid procedures.
Tuesday, June 7, is designated as a communications blackout day, to simulate the fact that immediately after a large scale earthquake, most communications will be disrupted or impossible.
On Wednesday, June 8, and Thursday, June 9, Zone 1 cities will be visiting each other’s respective EOCs. In case of emergency, it’s imprtant to cross-train in other cities, said Ross Freeman, city communications and sustainability manager.
On Friday, June 10, Mercer Island’s EOC will be testing its capabilities with staff, volunteers and partner city emergency management personnel only.
Fourteen core capabilities will be tested: operational communications, public health and medical services, mass care services, situational assessment, critical transportation, operational coordination, public information and warning, infrastructure systems, incident action planning, public/private services and resource management, search and rescue operations, fatality management, environment response/health and safety and on-scene security and protection.
“As uncomfortable as it might be, we need to have these conversations. Surviving an earthquake, or any other serious disaster, takes all of us doing our part to plan ahead, update and practice those plans, and helping those around us stay safe and secure,” according to the release. “This is one ‘to do’ item you don’t want to put off.”
Mercer Island’s EOC and emergency preparedness procedures have been tested twice in the last two years: one, the unexpected E. coli event in 2014 and the other, an extensively planned drill involving an active shooter in a school scenario.
The city’s goal is to be prepared to respond and recover from any hazard as safely and quickly as possible. Mercer Island is fortunate in the fact that it has an emergency water well at Rotary Park, a cadre of trained volunteers and extensive emergency plans in place that will make this goal a reality.
Though this exercise won’t have a direct impact on residents, Freeman said it’s a good opportunity to remind Islanders to be prepared. Apart from city government preparations, all residents must also be part of the solution, and should be prepared to take care of themselves and their neighbors for seven to 10 days after a disaster.
Helpful tips and checklists can be found at Ready.gov. For more, search #PrepareAthon on Twitter, visit www.fema.gov/cascadia-rising-2016 or Public Health Insider blog at the www.publichealthinsider.com/2015/07/14/surviving-the-really-big-one/#more-1084.
Find more general information at the city’s webpage at www.mercergov.org/emergencypreparedness and the King County Emergency News blog at www.kcemergency.com.
Ways to prepare and stay safe
1. Prepare for earthquakes in advance by:
– Making a plan for how you will communicate and where you will meet if separated. Practice your plan annually.
– Building emergency kits for your home and vehicle. If finances are tight, start small and add supplies as you are able, or band together with a neighbor to share resources.
– Helping each other by knowing your neighbors, their special needs, and available community resources.
2. When the ground begins to shake, “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” until the shaking stops. Do this during any aftershocks that are likely to follow.
Source: City of Mercer Island