Think about how you spend your time.  All the places you might be when, without warning, a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake strikes.

When it happens you want to survive the event in one piece, make it home if you’re away, have the resources to live reasonably comfortably for the next 1-3 months – depending on where you live – and eventually get back to work or re-start your business.  That’s a successful outcome to an event that could otherwise be a disaster.

Now think about how much difference it will make to your chance for a successful outcome if you, and others around you, are prepared.  There are enough food, water and emergency supplies to keep everybody going while FEMA, state and local emergency managers get lifelines re-established.  There are shelters set up for people who are made temporarily homeless, or stranded on the road.  The people who manage large apartment buildings, nursing homes, and other residential care facilities are ready to manage the situation.  Most importantly, there is a plan in place.  Without the plan, without the preparation, the situation could become chaotic.

To avoid chaos and ensure that we, our neighbors, and our economy can survive, recover and eventually get back to normal, we all have to take responsibility for making our own disaster plans.  We need to know how we’re going to take care of our family, co-workers, and neighbors who need our help in the aftermath.  And we need to do what we can to get our entire community prepared.

Join Cascadia Prepared.  We can all help each other to make sure our entire region is ready for the event we know is coming.