What is the All Hazard 3 Key elements to prepare for a tsunami Alert Broadcast System? (AHAB) TSUNAMI 1. Develop a family disaster plan. Everyone needs to know what to do on their own to protect themselves in case of disaster. Information & Preparedness It is a pole-mounted voice/tone siren system with an intense blue light that is deployed on our coast. 2. Be familiar with local earthquake and tsunami plans. Know For the Pacific Ocean Coast of Washington State where to go to survive a tsunami. Identify an evacuation site within 15 minutes walking distance of home and/or work. What does an AHAB Siren sound like? 3. Prepare three-day emergency kits for your home, vehicle, and What is a Tsunami? work. A tsunami is a series of waves most commonly caused by an earthquake beneath the sea floor. They can occur at any time of the TSUNAMI SIREN TEST: day or night. In deep water when a tsunami occurs, tsunamis cause What should I have in my Emergency Kit? The AHAB is tested the first Monday of each month at no damage and are hardly noticed. As the tsunami wave approaches the shore from the open ocean, the wave slows down and can grow 12:00 noon. During the routine test of the system, the siren You should prepare an emergency kit with a three-day supply of will play the Westminster Chimes and a voice message, in as high as 50-60 feet. necessary items for each member of your family. The kit should English, will follow the test chimes: be adapted to your needs, but keep it light and manageable in Voice Test Message: "The following is a test of the siren case you must evacuate on foot. Have it ready to go for system. It is only a test. This is a test of the siren warning immediate evacuation. Possible supplies include: system. If this had been a real emergency Maps showing safe routes to high ground with assembly you should tune in to your local radio areas. station or listen to this system for further Non-perishable food, cooking and instructions. This was only a test." eating utensils, including can opener. Water and a water purification kit. A tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of waves that can TSUNAMI WARNING: travel as fast a as commercial jet plane. First-aid kit and prescriptions. Upon the issuance of a Tsunami Warning, Remember: the siren will play a wail sound and a voice Plastic bags for water storage and waste. Tsunamis are a series of waves - the first wave is not always the message, in English, will follow the siren. largest - tsunami waves can last for hours. Dental and personal hygiene items. Tsunamis can be thunderous walls of water that immediately Voice Warning Message: "This is not a Sturdy shoes, clothes, sleeping bag, test. A tsunami warning has been issued Emergency flood inland areas. City streets can become river channels of and tent. for the coastal areas of Washington. A Kit floating debris. tsunami can cause dangerous flooding. Portable radio, headlamp/flashlight, Tsunami waves, of any size, can create strong currents that can If you are in a low coastal area, you are and extra batteries. cause damage and easily sweep people off their feet. Pocket knife, whistle, matches, duct A person cannot swim, surf, or outrun a tsunami. at risk and must move to higher ground or inland now. Do not return until tape, and gloves. Know these natural signs: directed to do so. Tune into your local Earthquake ground shaking. radio station for additional information. For more information contact: Unusual ocean activity, if the sea level decreases rapidly This is not a test. A tsunami warning exposing the sea bed, this is a warning sign that a tsunami will Your local Emergency Management Office has been issued for the coastal areas of arrive imminently. Do not go to the sea bed, run to high ground, Washington move to higher ground or Washington State Emergency Management Division, immediately. inland now." www.emd.wa.gov Loud roaring sounds from the ocean, like an approaching airplane or train. What is the difference? How am I warned of a tsunami? How do I know when to evacuate? These are the types of Tsunami If you feel strong ground shaking, notice a sudden drop or rise Distant Tsunamis in sea level, or hear a loud roaring sound from the ocean; go to Distant originate far away from Alert Messages sent from the National Tsunami Warning high ground immediately. Washington State and take more than 3 hours to Center in Palmer, Alaska. You If you are inside and hear a radio/TV broadcast or NOAA reach our coast. can receive tsunami alerts from a Weather Radio alert; or if you are outside and hear an AHAB NOAA Weather Radio, radio, TV siren follow the instructions provided. Example: The greatest or an AHAB siren. The siren will distant threat is from an only broadcast during a Warning. earthquake/tsunami off To where do I evacuate? Now what? the coast of Alaska. The Local officials provide current 1964 Alaska Earthquake/ information to local radio/TV A copy of the tsunami evacuation Tsunami struck our coast stations such as La Grande map is in the community’s tsunami within 4 hours causing KDDS 99.3FM. brochure. The map shows tsunami hazard areas in yellow. Go to the flooding and damage. (For other notification options nearest high ground shown in green Note: Distant tsunamis contact your local emergency management office.) to an assembly area. If there is no allow sufficient time for high ground or not enough time to Distant Tsunami - Travel Time Map officials to broadcast Many communities have reach high ground, the only solution Alaska to Washington Coast warnings. telephone warning systems that is to vertically evacuate into the can be used to provide you with upper levels of multi-story structures. official information. Local Tsunamis What do the evacuation signs mean? What should I do? Local originate off our coast Vehicle evacuation for distant tsunamis: and take 20-30 minutes, Action: Drop, Cover & Hold On Tsunami evacuation routes were developed to less than an hour to strike guide coastal residents and visitors to safer our coastline. locations when vehicle evacuation is possible. Example: Washington Evacuation signs have been placed along main State is prone to local roads to direct motorists to higher ground. In some tsunamis from the places, there may be more than one way to reach Cascadia Subduction safer areas. These routes are marked with multiple Zone. It has produced signs showing additional options for evacuation. large earthquakes at least You will need to know the evacuation routes for 6 times in the past 3,500 your area. years. Once the shaking stops: Run to High Ground Vehicle evacuation may not always be possible. If an earthquake occurred damage to roads, debris, or Note: There may be no downed power lines may make the roads unusable. time for official warnings, Cascadia Earthquake move inland or to high Pedestrian evacuation for local tsunamis: Subduction Zone ground immediately. If you cannot leave in a vehicle, evacuate on foot directly to the nearest high ground. Avoid lakes and wetlands which are prone to flooding and liquefaction during aftershocks. .