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operators for tsunami evacuation information
and how you would be warned. It is important to know designated escape routes
before a warning
is issued.
Plan
for a Tsunami
· Develop
a Family Disaster Plan. Meet with your family and discuss why
you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of a tsunami, fire, severe
weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work
together as a team. Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to
happen. Explain what to do in each case.
· Teach
children how and when to call
9-1-1
or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help.
Post
emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.).
· Find
the safe places in your home for each type of disaster.
· Determine
the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room.
· Pick
two places to meet: Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency,
like a fire. Outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home. Everyone
must know the address and phone number.
· Discuss
what to do in an evacuation. Plan how to take care of your pets.
· Stock
emergency supplies and assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit.
· Ask
an out-of-state friend to be your "family contact." After a
disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Other family members should
call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's
phone number.
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Tsunami-specific
planning should include the following:
IF YOU ARE
AT RISK FROM A TSUNAMI, DO THE FOLLOWING:
Plan an evacuation route from your home, school, workplace,
or any other place you'll be where tsunamis present a risk. If possible,
pick an area 100 feet above sea level or go up to two miles inland, away from
the coastline. If you can't get this high or far, go as high as you can. Every
foot inland or upwards may make a difference. You should be able to reach your
safe location on foot within 15 minutes.
After a disaster, roads may become impassable or blocked. Be prepared to
evacuate by foot if necessary. Footpaths normally lead uphill and inland, while
many roads parallel coastlines. Follow posted tsunami evacuation routes; these
will lead to safety. Local emergency management officials can help advise you as
to the best route to safety and likely shelter locations.
Practice your evacuation route. Familiarity may save your life. Be able
to follow your escape route at night and during inclement weather. Practicing
your plan makes the appropriate response more of a reaction, requiring less
thinking during an actual emergency situation.
Use a NOAA Weather Radio with a tone-alert feature to keep you informed of
local watches and warnings. The tone alert feature will warn you of
potential danger even if you are not currently listening to local radio or
television stations.
Talk to your insurance agent. Homeowners' policies do not cover flooding from a
tsunami. Ask about the National Flood Insurance Program.
Discuss tsunami with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case
all family members are not together. Discussing tsunamis ahead of time will help
reduce fear and anxiety, and let everyone know how to respond. Review flood
safety and preparedness measures with your family.
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What
to Do if You Feel a Strong Coastal Earthquake
If you feel an earthquake that lasts 20 seconds or longer when you are on the
coast:
· Drop,
cover, and hold on. You should first protect yourself from the earthquake.
· When
the shaking stops, gather your family members and evacuate quickly. Leave
everything else behind. A tsunami may be coming within minutes. Move quickly to
higher ground away from the coast.
· Be
careful to avoid downed power lines and stay away from buildings and bridges
from which heavy objects might fall during an aftershock.
What
to Do When a Tsunami WATCH Is Issued
· Listen
to a NOAA Weather Radio, Coast Guard emergency frequency station, or other
reliable source for updated emergency information. As the energy of a tsunami is
transferred through open water, it is not detectable. Seismic action may be the
only advance warning before the tsunami approaches the coastline.
· Check
your Disaster Supplies Kit. Some supplies may need to be replaced or restocked.
· Locate
family members and review evacuation plans. Make sure everyone knows there is a
potential threat and the best way to safer ground.
· If
you have special evacuation needs (small children, elderly people, or persons
with disabilities), consider early evacuation. Evacuation may take longer, allow
extra time.
· If
time permits, secure unanchored objects around your home or business. Tsunami
waves can sweep away loose objects. Securing these items or moving them inside
will reduce potential loss or damage.
· Be
ready to evacuate. Being prepared will help you to move more quickly if a
tsunami warning is issued.
What
to Do When a Tsunami WARNING Is Issued
· Listen
to a NOAA Weather Radio, Coast Guard emergency frequency station, or other
reliable source for updated emergency information. Authorities will issue a
warning only if they believe there is a real threat from tsunami.
· Follow
instructions issued by local authorities. Recommended evacuation routes may be
different from the one you use, or you may be advised to climb higher.
IF
YOU ARE IN A TSUNAMI RISK AREA, DO THE FOLLOWING:
· If
you hear an official tsunami warning or detect signs of a tsunami, evacuate at
once. A tsunami warning is issued when authorities are certain that a tsunami
threat exists, and there may be little time to get out.
· Take
your Disaster Supplies Kit. Having supplies will make you more comfortable
during the evacuation.
· Get
to higher ground as far inland as possible. Officials cannot reliably predict
either the height or local effects of tsunamis. Watching a tsunami from the
beach or cliffs could put you in grave danger. If you can see the wave, you are
too close to escape it.
· Return
home only after local officials tell you it is safe. A tsunami is a series of
waves that may continue for hours. Do not assume that after one wave the danger
is over. The next wave may be larger than the first one.
What
to Do After a Tsunami
· Continue
listening to a NOAA Weather Radio, Coast Guard emergency frequency station, or
other reliable source for emergency information. The tsunami may have damaged
roads, bridges, or other places that may be unsafe.
· Help
injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where appropriate. Call for help. Do
not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of
further injury.
· Help
a neighbor who may require special assistance--infants, elderly people, and
people with disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities may
require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have large
families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.
· Use
the telephone only for emergency calls. Telephone lines are frequently
overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to be clear for emergency calls to
get through.
· Stay
out of the building if waters remain around it. Tsunami waters, like flood
waters, can undermine foundations, causing buildings to sink, floors to crack,
or walls to collapse.
· When
re-entering buildings or homes, use extreme caution. Tsunami-driven flood waters
may have damaged buildings where you least expect it. Carefully watch every step
you take.
· Wear
sturdy shoes. The most common injury following a disaster is cut feet.
· Use
battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when examining buildings.
Battery-powered lighting is the safest and easiest, preventing fire hazard for
the user, occupants, and building.
· Examine
walls, floors, doors, staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is
not in danger of collapsing.
· Inspect
foundations for cracks or other damage. Cracks and damage to a foundation can
render a building uninhabitable.
· Look
for fire hazards. There may be broken or leaking gas lines, flooded electrical
circuits, or submerged furnaces or electrical appliances. Flammable or explosive
materials may come from upstream. Fire is the most frequent hazard following
floods.
· Check
for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a
window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas using the outside main
valve if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn
off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
· Look
for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if
you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or
circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit
breaker, call an electrician first for advice. Electrical equipment should be
checked and dried before being returned to service.
· Check
for sewage and water line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid
using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the
water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water from
undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes.
· Use
tap water if local health officials advise it is safe.
· Watch
out for animals, especially poisonous snakes, that may have come into buildings
with the water. Use a stick to poke through debris. Tsunami flood waters flush
snakes and animals out of their homes.
· Watch
for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall.
· Take
pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance
claims.
· Open
the windows and doors to help dry the building.
· Shovel
mud while it is still moist to give walls and floors an opportunity to dry.
· Check
food supplies. Any food that has come in contact with flood waters may be
contaminated and should be thrown out.
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