PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — When Hawaiians received a push alert Saturday that a ballistic missile was headed toward the island, many people scrambled to find shelter. Though it was a false alarm, it highlighted the need to know what to do in this type of mass emergency.
Emergency preparedness in Oregon is generally focused on what to do when a large earthquake rocks the area, perhaps triggering a tsunami and cutting off access for people to easily move.
But a recent tsunami warning malfunction in Seaside is another reminder that emergencies can happen at any time and it is important to know what to do.
Chris Voss, the director of Emergency Management for Multnomah County, said people tend to be prepared for things they’ve been through before — and if you haven’t been through an emergency you might be less likely to take action.
“One of the things we do worry about is desensitization,” Voss told KOIN 6 News. “People do get a lot of alerts on their phones, everything from snow and ice to traffic. So we do get bombarded with messages in a way now we probably weren’t 20 and 30 years ago.”
Voss said his office is very careful about sending out alerts. “We want people to adhere to our messages. Don’t just dismiss them as sort of part of the noise that you might get a lot of alerts on a regular basis.”
Still, he wants people to sign up for public alerts through PublicAlerts.org
Either way, being prepared and knowing what to do can make all the difference when seconds count.
A home emergency kit should have enough supplies to last 2 weeks. That means a gallon of water per person per day, plus some non-perishable food. Other items like a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit with extra medications are also important.
Experts also recommend having a Go Kit — something you can quickly grab if you need to leave your home. Knowing how to shut off your utilities is another task on the list.
And make a plan, including escape routes and evacuation. Small everyday lifestyle changes can help you when the unexpected hits.
Voss said it’s always good to have your phone charged. “If the emergency happened and you lost power then, that’s sort of tough. People do the same thing with the gas in their car.”
He said he also keeps an extra tank of fuel for his barbecue so he could cook if the power outage lasts for a while.
Get to know your neighbors. Many neighborhoods have volunteer programs where neighbors are trained to help each other during an event like an earthquake.
Overall, though, stay calm.
“I think most often if people act deliberately and are calm and follow the direction they’re given or ask and follow the crowd, like I said, head up the hil in the area of a tsunami,” Voss said. “For those cases, you know most people will be quite safe, but you can’t just sort of stand still. Taking action and doing something is important.”
Oregon is a great place to live, he said, and he understands why people here may not be as ready as in some other places.
“We don’t get hurricanes every year or two or tornado sirens going off,” Voss said. “Knowing we have an earthquake that happens once every 200, 300, 400 years, it’s tougher to drive people to action. But we hope people understand that risk and take the appropriate action.”