Oregon rethinks tsunami's reach - OregonLive.com

Oregon rethinks tsunami's reach - OregonLive.com: "Safety - The old worst-case killer wave scenarios aren't bad enough, scientists say Wednesday, September 19, 2007 STUART TOMLINSON The Oregonian Staff When the next mega-earthquake strikes the Oregon coast, it will announce itself with minutes of shaking followed by a tsunami as high as 35 feet. As communities up and down the Oregon coast run through a tsunami-warning drill today, scientists say they're increasingly concerned about the effects such a deadly wall of water would have on the 750 miles of coastline from Northern California to Alaska."

First Responder Products Inc. Webcasts 9/11 Sixth Anniversary Program - Press Release

First Responder Products Inc. Webcasts 9/11 Sixth Anniversary Program - Press Release: "The webcast features an exclusive interview by journalist and author Dan Verton with Tom Ridge, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. In a candid and informative session, Governor Ridge provides an honest appraisal of the current state of our emergency management preparedness and the need for a nationwide interoperable communications system for first responders, which is still not available six years after 9/11. He also addresses the need to integrate Community Emergency Response Team resources into the emergency response community."

TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT

Creating Vigilant, Prepared, and Resilient Communities for Homeland Security

September 21-22, 2007

Newport Fire Department
245 NW 10^th Street
Newport, Oregon 97365

8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Sponsored By: Newport Pacific Community Hospital & Lincoln County CERT

What is this training about? Utilizing adult-learning principles and the problem-based learning method, this training provides an opportunity for community members to work in cross-disciplinary teams, to draw on collective skills, knowledge, and resources, to address existing or potential homeland security threats at the community level. Course topics include: Problem-Based Learning, Group Dynamics, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Community Policing, Homeland Security, Impact of Fear, Community Responsibility, Ethics, Action Planning, and Group Presentation.

Who should attend? Everyone interested in building partnerships and working collaboratively to make their community Vigilant, Prepared, and Resilient, including: Community Members; Local Businesses; Faith-Based Organizations, Public Safety Professionals and First Responders; State and Local Emergency Management Agencies; Citizen Corps Councils and CERT, VIPS, Medical Reserve Corps, Fire Corps, and Neighborhood Watch Teams; Crime Prevention Practitioners; Nonprofits, Volunteers, School Groups, Government Agency Representatives; and Elected Officials.

Cost: This no-cost training is supported and certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Grants and Training, Course #AWR182.

Local Contact: Ed Simon (541) 265-9124

Are We Ready for Another Tsunami? - TIME

Are We Ready for Another Tsunami? - TIME: "Wednesday's massive earthquake near Indonesia was distressingly similar to the one that killed over 220,000 people in December of 2004. Both happened off the coast of Sumatra and put at least a dozen other countries at risk of tsunami. Yesterday's magnitude-8.4 quake was smaller than the 9.1 of 2004, but only slightly. Tall buildings swayed in Jakarta, and some high-rises were evacuated in Singapore. And less than 24 hours later, the quake was followed by a second and third temblor in the same area, which brought buildings down in the coastal Indonesian city of Padang and triggered more tsunami warnings around the region."

Quake had energy of 800,000 bombs | Herald Sun

Quake had energy of 800,000 bombs | Herald Sun: "HUGE aftershocks rumbled across Indonesia's Sumatra island yesterday as rescue teams sped to the area after a massive 8.4-magnitude earthquake killed at least 10 people."

The Associated Press: Quake Triggers Tsunami in Indonesia

The Associated Press: Quake Triggers Tsunami in Indonesia: "JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A massive earthquake struck Indonesia on Wednesday, killing one person, injuring dozens and triggering a tsunami that hit one city on the island of Sumatra, authorities said. Tsunami warnings were issued for much of the Indian Ocean region. A wave of up to 9 feet was reported to have struck the city of Padang about 20 minutes after the quake, said Suhardjono, an official with Indonesia's meteorological agency, who goes by only one name. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also reported that a small tsunami hit Padang. At least one person was killed and dozens injured in Bengkulu, the town closest to the epicenter, local government official Salamun Harius told El Shinta radio. Residents in Bengkulu, where at least one building was demolished, said the quake triggered panic and that people ran inland. 'Everyone is running out of their houses in every direction,' said Wati Said, who spoke by cell phone standing outside her house. 'We think our neighborhood is high enough. God willing, if the water comes, it will not touch us here.' 'Communication is cut, we can't call out,' she added. 'I don't know how you contacted us. Everyone is afraid.'"

HAI Website > Home��::

HAI Website > Home��::: "Local officials respond to the best of their ability until they are overwhelmed, at which point state officials are called in. Only after the state’s resources are exhausted is the federal government called upon to help. State and local responders say the lack of a national plan has helped encourage a sense of interstate cooperation. State emergency management agencies have begun to create parallel response systems to take the place of the federal government. This includes stand-by contracts between states and vendors for necessities such as water, ice, food, and electrical generators that could be activated in the event of a catastrophic event."

WiscNews.com : Portage Daily Register Online

WiscNews.com : Portage Daily Register Online: "When the staged gunfire died away and the smoke cleared in the neighborhood surrounding the Canadian Pacific railyard near Oneida Street on Saturday morning, there was none of the tension and heartbreak that hangs thick in the air over a typical disaster scene. Instead, first-responders grinned and exchanged backslaps as they packed up breathing equipment, SWAT gear and decontamination equipment generally reserved for grimmer circumstances."

Area Heroes Honored by the Red Cross - Salem-News.Com

Area Heroes Honored by the Red Cross - Salem-News.Com: "Area Heroes Honored by the Red Cross Salem-News.com Each year the Willamette Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross recognizes those who go above and beyond the call of their communities. Red Cross volunteer The Red Cross is packed with caring volunteers, and they recognize that these community heroes also make huge contributions to their community (SALEM, Ore.) - The Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross honored local citizens at the third annual REAL HEROES Breakfast Thursday."

Peru's quake makes local experts tremble - OregonLive.com

Peru's quake makes local experts tremble - OregonLive.com: "Subduction zones have produced the planet's two largest recorded earthquakes. A magnitude 9.5 quake and tsunami -- on the same Peru-Chile Subduction Zone involved in Peru's quake -- hit Chile in 1960 and killed 5,000 people. A 9.2 quake struck southern Alaska in 1964, launching a tsunami that killed four children at Gleneden Beach in Oregon and 11 people in Crescent City, Calif."

News - StatesmanJournal.com

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "Volunteers focus on being ready for emergencies September is month for disaster readiness training RUTH LIAO Statesman Journal September 8, 2007 Keizer resident Mark Dodge understands that for most people, emergency management boils down to residents and their immediate surroundings. Last winter he was on standby to offer assistance to his neighbors during a severe windstorm that hit the Mid-Willamette Valley. 'In those first four days -- those 96 hours -- you're going to need to take care of yourself, and that also extends to your neighbors,' Dodge said."

Bandon woman heads to flooding areas

Bandon woman heads to flooding areas: "The 62-year-old can probably expect to help hundreds of people unable to return to their homes in the wake of some of the worst flooding in decades. Major portions of the Midwest, including Illinois, were devastated by tornadoes and heavy rains last week."

News Times Live Volunteers help elderly plan for emergencies

News Times Live Volunteers help elderly plan for emergencies: "Volunteers help elderly plan for emergencies By Mark Langlois STAFF WRITER DANBURY -- Everyone knows they should have a family emergency plan to use in a crisis, but writing one never seems to happen or the one they have is out of date. 'It's really not that difficult to write one,' said Robie Barile, who heads a team of emergency volunteers who live at the Glen Apartments in Rogers Park and look after its senior residents in a crisis. 'People are so busy, they never seem to get to it.'"

ARRLWeb: Michigan Hams Activated Due to Storms and Tornado

ARRLWeb: Michigan Hams Activated Due to Storms and Tornado: "As the county's fire departments started to move toward the building collapse in Fenton, hams were already on the scene. Bond and Mike Schafer, KB8RVP, shifted gears from weather spotters to Fire Coordination operators. At the request of the fire chief at the scene, Bond went to the Fenton City fire station and, using ham radio, assisted their dispatch center; the storm had damaged their radio fire communications tower, so Bond and Schafer started working dispatch for them using their ham radios until the dispatch center was able to resume normal fire communications."

Chertoff touts Coast Guard changes, new FEMA warning system | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Chertoff touts Coast Guard changes, new FEMA warning system | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "raising the Coast Guard's daring rescues of Katrina flood victims, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff said Tuesday that new initiatives, including text-messaged warnings, will make responders even more effective in a future major disaster. Chertoff also said a realignment of the Coast Guard will make other homeland security efforts stronger. On the eve of the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which wrecked and flooded New Orleans and left much of coastal Mississippi in ruins, Chertoff spoke to dozens of Coast Guard aviators and flight crew members who led the Katrina rescue efforts in the hours after the storm. 'As we reflect back on the events of two years ago, we reflect on how difficult and dangerous the missions were, flying in the dark, around hazards like light poles in confined spaces to rescue people from rooftops and attic windows,' he said."

Victoria Advocate - Victoria News

Victoria Advocate - Victoria News: "Whitaker said it wouldn't take much for cell phone service to crash when everyone swamps the system during a disaster. Landline service can crash in a similar manner. 'They won't be able to use cell phones,' he said. 'It won't work.' If everything else failed, ham operators would set up at relief shelters to relay information back and forth across the area. 'If some elderly person needs insulin, we need to call for insulin,' he said. A ham radio license comes in handy in emergency situations."

Teens Can Get CERT Qualified (LakeFront Hartwell)

Teens Can Get CERT Qualified (LakeFront Hartwell): "ANDERSON, SC - The Community Emergency Response Team of Anderson County is reaching out to one of the County’s most precious resources and most motivated groups our teenagers. The Teen CERT program is designed to teach life-saving skills to tees or special interest groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Explorers, 4-H Clubs or service clubs. Students will leave with the skills to establish a Teen CERT program in their own schools, which can assist in the event of an emergency or disaster. There will also be opportunities for free CPR and Automatic Emergency Defribillator (AED) training in the future."

Nation & World | Troops to battle postquake looting in Peru | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Troops to battle postquake looting in Peru | Seattle Times Newspaper: "In a soccer stadium in the port city of Pisco, more than 500 people rushed a lone truck that ran out of packets of crackers, candy and toilet paper, screaming that they had not eaten and accusing rescue workers of keeping supplies for themselves. As many as 80 percent of the people in quake-hit urban areas may not have access to clean water and many rural communities still have not been reached to assess the damage, said Dominic Nutt, of the relief agency Save the Children. President Alan Garcia sent 1,000 troops to stop the looting. 'We're going to establish order, regardless of what it costs,' he said."

Peru quake disaster area hit by powerful aftershock�|�Reuters.ca

Peru quake disaster area hit by powerful aftershock�|�Reuters.ca: "Some 510 people have been confirmed dead and 1,000 wounded since the big quake, the United Nations said on Friday, quoting national and local authorities. Thousands of people were homeless and forced to sleep outside. They complained of a lack of medical attention and emergency supplies."

Mini-Seaside becomes Oregon test model for tsunami effects - NewsFlash - OregonLive.com

Mini-Seaside becomes Oregon test model for tsunami effects - NewsFlash - OregonLive.com: "CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — A tsunami is headed for a miniature version of the city of Seaside in an Oregon State University research lab. Scientists at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory have built a small model of downtown Seaside to study the effects of a tsunami in a project that is likely to continue for years. It will encompass everything from numerical models to wave heights, to the amount of water that will remain after a significant event, to possible places of safety. 'It's an interesting project,' said Solomon Yim, a professor of civil engineering and the primary researcher."