To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Daniel H on June 19, 2020, 4:44 pm
"it became very clear that as a coastal community that was easily isolated, we needed to figure out how to organize the community to respond." Small town on the coast named Manzanita, "off topic" but I thought it would be good if we had something like this set up for hurricanes, and earthquakes, or maybe we do in part? I wonder what would have happened if the mountain pass South would have been impassable, how would the response to Patricia have been? Minimum would be a generator that could power a town water pump, or charge the cell tower batteries. Transcript of the podcast lower in the article. https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/03/1002535/podcast-to-beat-a-pandemic-try-prepping-for-a-tsunami/
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Posted by Lynne on June 19, 2020, 9:48 pm, in reply to "To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
Just skimming the transcript made me wonder how many of these preparations could be implemented here in our little village. For one thing, we don't have basements; for another, few people have the means to buy or the space to store six months' worth of provisions. For Hurricane Patricia, the designated shelters were the elementary school (pretty much wide open, near the arroyo) and somewhere in Jaluco, I think. However, in a town where most families use motos as their primary form of transportation, no public buses or other vehicles were provided to take people inland or to higher ground. I remember that the power had already gone out and the winds were howling when a man from Proteccion Civil came to my door, dripping wet in a yellow raincoat. He told me that there was a mandatory evacuation order, and that I had to leave immediately. "But I only have a bicycle and lots of pets," I answered. "Where would we go, and how would we get there?" "Buen punto. Buena suerte," he replied, and left me to my own devices. So how would we, the townsfolk, even begin to create a "foresight plan" like the one on the Oregon coast? | ------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Daniel H on June 20, 2020, 3:17 am, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon" Edited by board administrator June 20, 2020, 4:13 am
"So how would we, the townsfolk, even begin to create a "foresight plan" like the one on the Oregon coast?" Imagination, communication, simplification. Imagine how much it will suck without any outside help. Preemptively Complain. Pick one thing and try to do it. Repeat. If you can take care of yourself with the grab bag idea that would be a start. The stores could be the basement. A lot of food goes bad after the first day due to a lack of power to keep it refrigerated, perhaps a couple of generators used a few hours a day could save that a bit longer. Water is important, there are some old wells around town, maybe do some preventative maintenance on them so they are ready to use along with some filters. Perhaps securing some of the roof tanks a bit better so they don't fail during an earthquake. They are excellent water storage. Plastic tarps would have saved a lot of misery after Patricia, maybe have a few of those around.
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Posted by CraigB on June 20, 2020, 10:11 am, in reply to "To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
One practical thing for American and Canadian homeowners is to offer up there higher ground homes as shelter. We did that for our Mexican family friends and I suspect a number of other homeowners did. There is a lot of higher ground capacity in LaManz. Our house only sustained very, very miner damage in the predicted Cat 5 hurricane. | ------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by William H on June 20, 2020, 1:53 pm, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
Tsunami's commonly moved in deep water at 500 miles an hour with a surface wave of about three feet. When the tsunami reaches shallow water, it reduces to about 80 mph, and the wave can be fifty feet or more high. A tsunami may not be recognised until it is close to reaching land, the water at the beach will reduce by several feet and exposes the sea bottom for perhaps hundreds of feet out to sea. When that water comes back, it is so fast no man or beast can outrun it. People drown because of the violence of the water and its hydraulic actions. Buildings are destroyed, cars and trucks picked up and floated or dragged away. Unless you have an early warning, system which recognises the tsunami at an early stage, inevitably, people will not have time to escape to high ground, resulting in many deaths. So, preparing for a tsunami, how does one do that? You need an app which sets off a tsunami alert on mobile phones. When the alarm goes off get in your car and head for the hills, leave everything you own behind because you may only have minutes to escape. You must also remember there may be a traffic jam created by people leaving town, so get going immediately. https://www.pdc.org/apps/disaster-alert/ There are a number of alert systems. I would suppose that the alert system could also be linked to a series of pole-mounted siren units. I do not know for sure, but the technology sounds fairly simple.
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Posted by Daniel H on June 20, 2020, 6:03 pm, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Cruz on June 20, 2020, 7:28 pm, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
Hola, William and Daniel. Interesting question because I too had been wondering if the tsunami alarm was working. I can't remember when it was last tested, hearing it that is. So I asked the Delegado and he said that the Estado has been maintaining it but that he didn't really know if it was working because he hasn't heard it either. Normally they announce when there is going to be a practice alarm call so people don't get 'alarmed' unnecessarily. The Delegado will inquire next week to see what is or is not happening with the alarm. Also, on preparedness for Patricia, I recall that La Huerta Emergency Office came and held a meeting and practice on what to do; hike rapidly to higher ground (we practice walked), anywhere above the church, carry water and medications and wait for instructions. The elementary school was designated as the emergency shelter. In the 1995 tsunami, caused by a 9:00 AM earthquake, no one was prepared. Yet everyone seemed to have done what was needed and there was not a single injury. One man got nervous or scared and jumped from a second story, breaking a leg and becoming the only indirect casualty. Families gathered on high ground on some hill and camped until they were told that they could return by the National Guard who had been supplying food and materials. Judy and Felipe, I think, could tell us more about it. Getting cut off from outside help, like the National Guard, could be a big problem. I don't know how we would communicate and connect for assistance. I know the Delegado, as part of the BAEJAC Emergency crew, was trying to acquire a short-wave radio, or something of that nature. I don't know if he was successful. Interesting query you make, Daniel, and food for thought as we wait out the current situation. Cruz | ------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Lynne on June 21, 2020, 12:12 am, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
I also think that we need to differentiate between hurricane preparations/procedures, for which there is plenty of advance warning, and an earthquake/tsunami, for which there usually is not. Still, local folks seem to instinctively know what to do. It's the aftermath of either natural disaster that's difficult to deal with in an isolated area, with no power or easy way to communicate with each other or the outside world. Nevertheless, I seldom question my decision to live in the "Ring of Fire." | ------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Cruz on June 25, 2020, 9:39 am, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
So far, the Delegado has not provided news about our local tsunami alarm system, if its working or not. Funny how we got concerned about it just as the earthquake was about to happen in Oaxaca and the possibility of a tsunami occurrence. When disasters like this occur, Francisco, wearing the hat of coordinator of the local BAEJAC emergency crew, is alerted to do surveillance of our area, in this case the beach and wave action. Before this, he and his crew were clearing Highway 200, La Manzanilla area, gutters of debris because of expected rain. Also this week, there was a burial to accompany. All of this is volunteer work, so Francisco has been busy. I'll try to catch him later. Cruz | ------------Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon
Posted by Valerie D on June 25, 2020, 10:10 am, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
Francisco told me yesterday that the alarm was NOT functioning and that he was trying to get it fixed. | ------------Yes, we have no bananas
Posted by Cruz on June 25, 2020, 3:31 pm, in reply to "Re: To beat a pandemic, try prepping for a tsunami - Manzanita, Oregon"
Yes, we have no alarm, we have no alarm today. Oh, my. So the Delegado high tailed it to the beach on foot to warn beach goers of the danger. We're back to the dark ages. And it doesn't sound like the alarm will be getting fixed soon. The alarm isn't that old. It was put in after hurricane Patricia. Speaking to preparedness, the Delegado needs two items. One is a short-wave radio system and a gasoline run saw (what are they called?) for fires and fallen trees. He currently has an old saw but it only works when it wants to (sounds like me, lol). The radio is not only needed to connect with the outside during hurricanes, earthquakes and disasters. The radio is also needed to request help in medical emergencies and accidents where there is no reception. Cell phones are useless along many places on highway 200 and in several spots in town. Sometimes, communication is needed between crews or Melaque Proteccion Civil. After Covid-19, we should have a campaign to equip the emergency crews with these items. Just sayen, Cruz | ------------Radio Communications
Posted by Dave on June 25, 2020, 9:35 pm, in reply to "Yes, we have no bananas"
Good ideas & Sharing Cruz I just sent you an Email and could you also try to contact Steve Palmer AND assist him getting a hold of me please Dave | ------------ |
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