Nearly everyone in Seattle knows that ‘The Big One’ could hit here at any time, and those who don’t might want to check out a recent article in The New Yorker. Earthquakes are an expected risk in Seattle, but snow storms, floods, landslides, and heat waves also cripple our city – and our neighborhood. The Seattle Office of Emergency Management works to prepare, and provide training, to make all of us more capable, to our own benefit and that of our neighbors, during and after community-wide disasters.
On August 1st, the City’s new emergency notification system, AlertSeattle, will go live. The free system will allow those who register for it to receive real-time warning and customized alerts via text, e-mail, voice messaging, Facebook and/or Twitter. Information on how to register for AlertSeattle will be made available from Seattle Police and Fire Fighters during August 4th Neighborhood Night Out events. Also, find out more about this new program through a Seattle Channel program.
Seattle Emergency Management also offers training this fall, with many informative (and free) classes taking place up the hill from Fremont at the Phinney Neighborhood Center. Check out these opportunities:
- On July 30th, at 7p, a SNAP (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare) Workshop on how to participate in neighborhood based preparedness programs. (No registration required.)
- On Sep 12th & Oct 11th, at a variety of Seattle Public Library Branches, learn the basics of Earthquake Home Retrofit on how to seismically secure your home. The class is free but registration is required at SNAP@seattle.gov
- On Nov 7th, from Noon – 2p, at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, also learn how to Retrofit Your House For An Earthquake. Find out the latest ways to make your home more secure, for you, for your family and for anyone who might be visiting when ‘The Big One’ hits. The class is still free, but pre-registration for this must be done through the Phinney Center at 206/783-2244
We can’t prevent ‘The Big One’, or most any disaster, from happening. We can make survival and recovery easier – and more likely – with a little preparation, and as much information as possible. Find out more about how to prepare by visiting the Seattle Office of Emergency Management website today!