Homer tsunami brochure...boat owners receive a tsunami warning they must determine how much time is...
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For more information, please contact: Homer Volunteer Fire Department City of Homer 604 East Pioneer Avenue Homer, AK 99603 Phone: (907) 235-3155 Fax: (907) 235-3157 [email protected] Robert L. Painter, Chief Homer Volunteer Fire Department 604 East Pioneer Avenue Homer, AK 99603 Phone: (907) 235-3155 Alaska Division of Emergency Services PO Box 5750 Fort Richardson, AK 99505-5750 (800) 478-2337 (907) 428-7000 Fax: (907) 428-7009 www. ak-prepared.com Where and when do tsunamis occur? Tsunamis can occur at any time of the day or night, under any and all weather conditions, and in all seasons. Beaches open to the ocean, by bay entrances or tidal flats, and the shores of coastal rivers are especially vulnerable to tsunamis. How do I know when to evacuate? A strong off-shore earthquake may generate a tsunami. Therefore, if you feel the ground shake, evacuate inland or to high ground immediately and return only after officials say it is safe to do so. During distant source tsunami events, local Emergency Manage- ment officials will advise citizens to evacu- ate by making an announcement over the Emergency Alert System or NOAA Weather Radio. Where do I evacuate? Go to an area 50 feet above sea level, if possible. If you don’t have time to travel to high ground, but are in a multi-story building, go to the uppermost level. If you are on the beach and unable to get to high ground, go inland as far as you can. The tsunami evacuation map illustrates the primary evacuation routes and congregation areas. Take your disaster supply kit with you. How do I get inland or to high ground? Go on foot if possible, particularly if an earthquake has caused damage to roads, power lines, and resulted in significant debris. Remember: Never go to the coast to watch a tsunami. Tsunamis move faster than a person can run. If you are camping on or near the beach, you may have to abandon your campsite to go inland or to higher ground to save your life. Do not return to shore after the first wave. Wait for Emergency Management officials to give the “All Clear” before you return. If you see an unexpected rise or fall in the coastal water, a tsunami may be approaching. Do not wait – instead move inland or uphill as quickly as possible. Stay tuned to your radio, marine radio or NOAA Weather Radio during a disaster. Bulletins will be issued regularly through local Emergency Management officials and National Weather Service. Call 9-1-1 only for life threatening emergencies. What should I do if an earth- quake occurs while at the coast? Drop, cover, and hold. Get under a sturdy object and hold on. Watch for falling objects. As soon as the shaking is over, move to high ground or inland. Do not wait for an official warning. Stay away from the coast. Waves may continue to arrive for hours. Listen to your local radio station for an official “All Clear” notice before returning to the coastal area. Be alert for aftershocks. What can I do to protect myself from a tsunami? Develop a family disaster plan. Everyone needs to know what to do on their own to protect themselves from an earthquake. Be familiar with local Emergency Management earthquake and tsunami plans. Know where to go to survive a tsunami. Be prepared to survive on your own for a minimum of seven days. Prepare a disaster supply kit for your home, automobile and work. A list of recommended supplies for your kit appears on the inside of this brochure. Take a first aid course and learn survival skills. Knowledge is your greatest defense against potential disaster. What is a tsunami? A tsunami is a series of waves most commonly caused by an earthquake beneath the sea floor. If a large earthquake displaces the sea floor near the Alaska coast, the first waves may reach the shore minutes after the ground stops shaking. There would be no time for authorities to issue a warning. Following an earthquake far out in the Pacific Ocean it may take hours for tsunami waves to reach the Alaska coast. The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center alerts local officials who may order an evacuation, but isolated areas may not receive official announcements. If you notice a sudden drop or rise in sea level, it may be a warning of impending danger. Move to high ground or inland immediately. The waves can kill and injure people and cause great property damage where they come ashore. The first wave is often not the largest; successive waves may be spaced several minutes apart and continue to arrive for several hours. Tsunami! Safety Tips for the Gulf of Alaska Evacuation Maps Homer, Alaska
Transcript of Homer tsunami brochure...boat owners receive a tsunami warning they must determine how much time is...
For more information, please contact:
Homer Volunteer Fire DepartmentCity of Homer
604 East Pioneer AvenueHomer, AK 99603
Phone: (907) 235-3155Fax: (907) 235-3157
Robert L. Painter, ChiefHomer Volunteer Fire Department
604 East Pioneer AvenueHomer, AK 99603
Phone: (907) 235-3155
Alaska Division of EmergencyServices
PO Box 5750Fort Richardson, AK 99505-5750
(800) 478-2337 (907) 428-7000 Fax: (907) 428-7009
www. ak-prepared.com
Where and when do tsunamisoccur?Tsunamis can occur at any time of theday or night, under any and all weatherconditions, and in all seasons. Beachesopen to the ocean, by bay entrances ortidal flats, and the shores of coastalrivers are especially vulnerable totsunamis.
How do I know when to evacuate?A strong off-shore earthquake maygenerate a tsunami. Therefore, if youfeel the ground shake, evacuate inlandor to high ground immediately andreturn only after officials say it is safeto do so. During distant sourcetsunami events, local Emergency Manage-ment officials will advise citizens to evacu-ate by making an announcement over theEmergency Alert System or NOAAWeather Radio.
Where do I evacuate?Go to an area 50 feet above sea level, ifpossible. If you don’t have time totravel to high ground, but are in amulti-story building, go to the uppermost level. If you are on the beachand unable to get to high ground, goinland as far as you can. The tsunamievacuation map illustrates the primaryevacuation routes and congregation areas.Take your disaster supply kit with you.
How do I get inland or to highground?Go on foot if possible, particularly if anearthquake has caused damage toroads, power lines, and resulted insignificant debris.
Remember:Never go to the coast to watch atsunami. Tsunamis move fasterthan a person can run. If you arecamping on or near the beach, youmay have to abandon your campsiteto go inland or to higher ground tosave your life.
Do not return to shore after thefirst wave. Wait for EmergencyManagement officials to give the“All Clear” before you return.
If you see an unexpected rise or fallin the coastal water, a tsunami maybe approaching. Do not wait –instead move inland or uphill asquickly as possible.
Stay tuned to your radio, marineradio or NOAA Weather Radioduring a disaster. Bulletins will beissued regularly through localEmergency Management officialsand National Weather Service.
Call 9-1-1 only for life threateningemergencies.
What should I do if an earth-quake occurs while at the coast?
Drop, cover, and hold. Get under asturdy object and hold on. Watchfor falling objects.As soon as the shaking is over,move to high ground or inland. Donot wait for an official warning.Stay away from the coast. Wavesmay continue to arrive for hours.Listen to your local radio station foran official “All Clear” notice beforereturning to the coastal area.Be alert for aftershocks.
What can I do to protectmyself from a tsunami?
Develop a family disaster plan.Everyone needs to know what to doon their own to protect themselvesfrom an earthquake.Be familiar with local EmergencyManagement earthquake andtsunami plans. Know where to go tosurvive a tsunami.Be prepared to survive on your ownfor a minimum of seven days.Prepare a disaster supply kit foryour home, automobile and work. Alist of recommended supplies foryour kit appears on the inside of thisbrochure.Take a first aid course and learnsurvival skills. Knowledge is yourgreatest defense against potentialdisaster.
What is a tsunami?
A tsunami is a series of wavesmost commonly caused by anearthquake beneath the sea floor.
If a large earthquake displacesthe sea floor near the Alaska coast,the first waves may reach the shoreminutes after the ground stopsshaking. There would be no time forauthorities to issue a warning.
Following an earthquake far outin the Pacific Ocean it may takehours for tsunami waves to reach theAlaska coast. The West Coast andAlaska Tsunami Warning Centeralerts local officials who may order anevacuation, but isolated areas maynot receive official announcements.If you notice a sudden drop or rise insea level, it may be a warningof impending danger. Move to highground or inland immediately.
The waves can kill and injurepeople and cause great propertydamage where they come ashore.The first wave is often not thelargest; successive waves may bespaced several minutes apart andcontinue to arrive for several hours.
Tsunami!Safety Tips for the Gulf of
AlaskaEvacuation Maps
Homer, Alaska
Evacuation signs and what they mean:Tsunami evacuation routes were devel-oped to assist coastal residents and visi-tors find safer locations in case of anearthquake and tsunami. Evacuation signshave been placed along roadways toindicate the direction inland or to higherground. In some places, there may bemore than one direction available to reachsafer areas. These routes may be markedwith several signs showing additionaloptions for evacuation. You will need toknow the evacuation routes for your area.
Community Plans:Every attempt has been made by localEmergency Management offices to locateevacuation routes and public congregationareas that are safe, within a reasonabledistance for foot or vehicle traffic, andaccessible within a short period of time.These are difficult criteria to meet in somegeographic areas, primarily as a result ofprivate property issues. For that reason,residents who may be impacted by tsunamiactivity, but do not have an “official” route orcongregation area within reasonabledistance, are urged to work together todevelop an evacuation plan within theirneighborhood or community. A plan shouldaddress property access issues, evacuationroutes, and what might be expected in termsof numbers of people needing to access alocally organized congregation area.
CITY OF HOMER
TSUNAMIEVACUATIONROUTE
TSUNAMI EVACUATION ROUTES
When you feel the ground shake:Drop, cover and hold.Evacuate inland or to higher groundimmediately.
Do not wait for notification.Take your 7-day disaster supply kit.Listen to NOAA Weather Radio oryour local radio station forinformation on shelter location andemergency broadcast.NOAA Weather Radio localfrequency:
162.400Beware of aftershocks.Do not return to the beach until theemergency officials give the “AllClear” notice.
Disaster Supply KitAssemble in a 7-day minimum supply:
First-aid supplies and minimumpersonal prescriptionNon-perishable food and utensilsWater (one gallon per person per day)Water carrying bags or containersExtra blankets, ponchos and clothingPlastic bags for garbage and wasteRubber, latex and heavy duty glovesPocket knife, flat 12” pry bar, andduct tapeSmall tentFlashlights (with extra batteries)Battery-operated AM radio (withextra batteries)WhistlesDental and personal hygiene itemsDust masksMatches
Tsunamis and Boats:If Emergency Officials have directed anevacuation of all low-lying coastal areas, thechances are good that a moderate wave willarrive, a boat located where large currentsmay form are better off in deeper water, i.e.,100 fathoms or greater. Every person withresponsibility for a boat has to decidewhether to move it based on: estimates ofweather; seaworthiness of the boat; the timeand inconvenience of moving the boat; andthe relative safety the berth provides theboat.
A boat threatened by tsunami waves and/orstrong currents should be taken to deeperwater away from confined channels unlessthe factors mentioned above over-ride therisk to the boat. Tsunamis createexceptional currents. Water level changeshave the potential to move channel markers,expose reefs in otherwise navigable water,and force boats into hazardous areas. Whenboat owners receive a tsunami warning theymust determine how much time is availablebefore the wave arrives and evaluatewhether the boat can reach deeper water inthe time available before attempting to movethe boat. Distant tsunami arrival times can beobtained from the Tsunami Warning system.No attempt should be made to move a boatfor locally generated tsunamis.
