Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has declared March Earthquake and Tsunami Awareness Month and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management is scheduled to conduct a public outreach campaign highlighting what citizens can do to develop an emergency preparedness plan. The Office of Emergency Management is also scheduled to hold Tsunami and Earthquake Preparedness workshops this month to help groups serving vulnerable populations. The Office of Emergency Management will partner with the Oregon Office on Disability and Health to hold the series of free workshops called Earthquake and Tsunami Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations. These workshops are open to those who work with elders, daycare/infant care, people with disabilities, or other vulnerable groups so they can learn more about how to prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis and other natural disasters. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook northeastern Japan, unleashing a tsunami and led to more than 15,000 deaths. The damage stretched all the way to the Oregon Coast which has the same earthquake and tsunami hazard potential. “The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan serves as a reminder of the risk we have here in Oregon,” said Althea Rizzo, Geologic Hazards Coordinator for the Office of Emergency Management. “Find out how you can get involved and make your family and community better prepared for disaster.” Oregon is located on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a fault line stretching from offshore Northern California to British Columbia. The last known earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone happened on January 26, 1700. Scientists indicate a major earthquake could strike our state at any time. For more information on emergency preparedness go to: http://www.ready.gov/ For more information on the workshops contact Dr. Althea Rizzo, Geologic Hazards Program Coordinator for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management: althea.rizzo@state.or.us Workshop schedule: * March 11: Brookings – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Chetco Community Public Library; * March 12: Gold Beach – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Gold Beach City Hall; * March 13: Bandon – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Bandon Public Library; * March 14: North Bend – 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m., Bay Area Community Health and Education Center; * March 17: Reedsport – 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m., Lower Umpqua Hospital Conference Room; * March 18: Florence – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Siuslaw Fire and Rescue; * March 19: Newport – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Oregon Coast Community College; * March 20: Lincoln City – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Driftwood Library; * March 21: Tillamook – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tillamook Library; * March 26: Seaside – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Providence Seaside Hospital; * March 27: Astoria – 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m., Judge Guy Boyington Building.
