emergency preparedness

Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Preparedness 101

Becoming disaster prepared is essential to get you through any unforeseen event, from a power outage to a supply chain disruption, to a mass tsunami and everything in between. When discussing preparedness in coastal Oregon, we focus on preparing for the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake and subsequent tsunami because if you are prepared for the most extreme scenario, then you are prepared to take on any other disaster that may come our way.

Emergency Planning

The first step to becoming disaster prepared is creating an emergency plan with your household, family, and neighbors. An emergency plan should include:

  • Identifying potential disasters in your area.
  • Allotting preparedness and recovery responsibilities to each member of the house.
    • Ex. Who will grab the go bag, who is responsible for getting which pet, etc.
  • A reunification plan of where you will meet if you get separated during the disaster or evacuation process.
  • A communication plan that designates someone residing outside of the area as the point of contact for communication among family members. This person will facilitate communication amongst your household if you get separated and act as the central contact for worried relatives. Therefore, it is important that your far-away relatives are also familiar with your communication plan.

There is a plethora of resources available to support you and your family as you create your emergency plan. You can learn more about emergency planning and get support through the resources below:

Emergency Planning

Be 2 Weeks Ready

Building Your Emergency Kit

Additional Resources

WLEOG Podcast Center

Be 2 Weeks Ready

If a disaster happens in your community, it may take emergency workers days or even weeks to reach you. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s Be 2 Weeks Ready program encourages everyone to have an emergency planand enough food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies to survive on your own for at least 2 weeks. Being 2 weeks ready is essential as it allows first responders to prioritize life-threatening situations and vulnerable populations, ensures you and your family can survive if roads are impassable, and encourages communal care.

Learn more about the Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s Be 2 Weeks Ready program. 

Due to our remote location here in western Lane County, having 2 weeks’ worth of supplies could potentially still be inadequate in the event of a major disaster like a tsunami. Some officials predict it could take closer to 6 weeks for our community to receive aid in the wake of a major disaster. Ideally, we would all be more than 2 weeks ready.

Realistically, even preparing to be entirely self sufficient for just 2 weeks is a lot. As you strive to Be 2 Weeks Ready, know that any action you take to become disaster prepared is a benefit to you, your family, and your community. Do what you can, and stay consistent. You can slowly become 2+ weeks ready through small, consistent actions such as picking up a little extra non-perishable food on your grocery runs or filling and storing typically empty jars in your house with water. When disaster strikes, being prepared for just 3 days is better than not being prepared at all, though we should still all strive to Be [at least] 2 Weeks Ready.

Emergency Supply Kit 3-Month Calendar and Shopping List

For more information about becoming 2 Weeks Ready visit these websites:

Building your Emergency Kit and Go Bags

Building an emergency kit and go bag are two of the most essential steps to becoming disaster prepared. But what is the difference between the two? And what should they include?

An Emergency Kit is the emergency supplies that you keep located in your home. Your emergency kit will be larger and have more supplies than your go-bag(s) and is intended to support your household in the event of a shelter-in-place situation. Your emergency kit doesn’t have to be all in one bag, but refers instead to the collection of supplies you’ve acquired that you keep in an accessible location. This includes your 2 weeks’ worth of food, water, medicine and other essential supplies.

A Go Bag is the supplies you keep in a backpack ready to go in case you need to evacuate. Ideally you should have two go bags, one at home in an accessible location and one in your car. Your go bag should be easy to carry, and thus will likely only fit 3 days’ worth of food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies. If you have the ability to create individual go bags for each family member, you will be better off in the long run and will support the longevity of the limited supplies you are carrying.

Emergency Kit Supply List:

  • Water (one gallon per person per day) – For 2 weeks that’s 14 gallons/member of the household.
  • ½ gallon/pet/day
  • Water filter or purifying tablets
  • Non-perishable foods: Including extra pet food, if applicable.
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio
  • Flashlight
  • First aid kit
  • Extra batteries
  • Whistle
  • Soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes
  • Necessary medications: Including pain relievers, antacids, or anything else that you use regularly.
  • Prescription eyeglasses, contacts, and lens solution.
  • Cash
  • Dust mask
  • Plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties
  • Small toolkit
  • Manual can opener
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
  • Copies of important family documents
  • Sleeping bag or blanket per person
  • Boots
  • Change of Clothes
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
  • Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
  • Paper and pencil
  • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
  • 2 large buckets for waste
  • Water proof clothing/rain gear
Figure 1 – Supply Checklist, University of CA, Berkeley, Office of Emergency Management

Other supply lists and resources for further learning:

    Your emergency go bag should have much of the same items as your emergency kit, just in lesser quantities. Go through the above list and decide what is essential, and what you believe you could do without if needed. You should aim to have at least 3 days’ worth of food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies in your go bag. Your go bag should contain at least one form of water filtration since you will likely be limited in the amount of water you can physically carry.

    WLEOG Podcast Center

    Are you iterested in learning more about a specific preparedness topic but don’t have the time to research it on your own? Are you looking for a new way to consume preparedness information and content that fits easily into your daily schedule? We’ve got you covered. Welcome to the WLEOG Podcast Center, where we have compiled a list of reputable podcasts that cover a variety of disaster and preparedness topics. Scroll through to find a podcast that is right for you and your interests, and see specific recommended episodes!

    Before, During, & After - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

    Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and online.

    Recommended Episodes:

      • Episode 4: Earthquake Preparedness
      • Episode 12: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
      • Episode 23: National Preparedness Month – Disasters Happen. Prepare Now, Learn How.
      • Episode 27: My Preparedness Initiative (MyPI): Teaching Preparedness to America’s Youth
      • Episode 33: Teaching Students How to Prepare for Emergencieis and Disasters – STEP
      • Episode 34: Making “Cents” Out of Disaster Financial Preparedness
      • Episode 38: Advancing Wildfire Resilience with the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network
      • Episode 40: PrepTalks – Amanda Ripley “The Unthinkable: Lessons from Survivors”
      • Episode 46: ‘Prepared, Not Scared’: Teaching Children What to do in an Emergency
      • Episode 50: Youth as a part of Whole Community Preparedness
      • Epsidoe 54: Tribal Mitigation – Improving Resiliency in Oregon
      • Episode 57: Furthering FEMA’s Commitment to People with Disabilities and Older Adults
      • Episode 58: Helping Children Cope with Disasters
      • Episode 59: The Gift of Preparedness
      • Episode 80: Tsunami Survivor Encourages Tsunami Awareness
      • Episode 81: Oregon Wildfires – Disaster Survivor Assistance in Southern Oregon
      • Episode 83: After the Disaster – How to Donate & Volunteer Responsibly
      • Episode 85: Oregon Wildifres – Candy Christmas Tree
      • Episode 96: 10 Year Anniversary of Wireless Emergency Alerts
      • Episode 99: FEMA”s New Mobile App
      • Episode 107: Flood after Fire: Understanding the Risks of Increased Flooding After Wildfires Damage the Land
      • Episode 110: Focus on Equity – Engaging Persons with Disabilities in Emergency Response and Recovery
      • Episode 111: Understanding the Importance of Protecting your Property with Flood Insurance
      • Episode 118: #SummerReady – The Impact of Extreme Heat on Critical Infrastrucutre
      • Episode 127: #WinterReady – Being Fire Safe in the Winter DCan Help Save Lives
      • Episode 133: A Nod to the Volunteers Who Help in Times of Need
    DesignSafe Radio - Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI)

    Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, and online.

    Recommended Episodes:

      • Episode 1 – When Can I Get Back Into My House
      • Episode 2 – A Tsunami is Not a Tidal Wave
      • Episode 7 – The Beast Quake
      • Episode 8 – We Want to Prevent Natural Hazards from Turning into Disasters
      • Episode 10 – Just to Help Somebody for the Most Pure Reasons  Possible
      • Episode 24 – Tsunami Resistant Evacuation Structures
      • Episode 39 – Tsunamis in Centrifuge with Ben Mason
      •  Episode 41 – Creating a Tsunami – on a centrifuge with Maggie Exton
      • Episode 49 – Tsuanmi, Volcanos, and Landslides, Oh My! with Hermann Fritz
      • Soil Liquefaction in the Pacific Northwest
      • NEHRI mobile shakers help researchers mitigate soil liquefaction
      • Tips to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Winds
      • Coastal Emergency Risks Assessment (CERA)
      • Preparing Your Community for Storm Surge Damage
      • Researching Tsunami Debris Impact on Infrastructures
      • Learning the Complexities of Tsunami Debris-field Behavior
      • Tsuami Debris Flow Experiements at NHERI at Oregon State University
      • How YOU Can Get Involved in Extreme Events Research
      • Design Provisions for Manufactured Homes and Using Pre-existing Data
      • Applied Research to Improve Manufactured-Home Communities
      • Understanding Major Storms: Key to Coastal Resilience
      • Improving Seismic Resilience and Sustainable Design with Adre Barbosa
    Disaster Zone - Eric Holdeman, Center for Regional Disaster Resilience

    Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and online.

    Recommended Episodes:

      • Disasters and People with Disabilities
      • Disaster Readiness in the Pacific Northwest
      • The Importance of Social Capital in Disasters
      • Personal and Organizational Risk Management
      • Earthquake Risks in Western Washington
      • Adapting to Climate Change
      • Getting the Power Back On – Post Disaster
      • Protecting Pets from Disasters
      • Amateur Radio Systems
      • Oregon State Resilience Officer
      • Seismic Neglect for Schools
      • The Soup Ladies Helping in Disasters
      • Tsunami Threat in the Pacific NW
      • An Interview with FEMA Region X Administrator
      • Oregon State Office of Emergency Management
      • Wildfire Resilient Communities
      • Pro Bono Lawyers for Disaster Justice
      • Solving Seismic Strucutral Issues
      • Supply Chain Insights
      • Becoming Prepared to Deal with Any Disaster
      • Emergency Preparedness for Long Term Care Facilities
      • Washington State Emergency Management
      • Alaska Emergency Management
      • Myths on Public Behavior in Disaster Movies
      • Addressing Healthcare Needs in a Disaster
    Level Up Audio Project - FEMA Region 9

    Available on Spotify, Apple Music, and online.

    Recommended Episodes:

      • S1Ep: Wildifre Risk and Community Outreach: Butte County
      • S2E3: Increasing Tsunami Resilience in Hawaii
      • S2E4: Behavioral Science and Flood Risk Mitigation
      • S3E4: Hazard Mitigation with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians
      • S3E3: Proactive Policy for Coastal Resilience in Kaua’i, HI
    DisasterClass - Jason Perez and Wesley Long, Co-Founders of Instinct Ready

    Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Youtube.

    Recommended Episodes:

      • 19_Free disaster preparedness resources
      • 20_This food lasts 30 years!
      • 24_Preparedness works!
      • 25_What’s your responsibility to help others?
      • 36_Turning citizens into disaster responders
      • 42_The psychology of emergency response
      • 45_The new neighborhood preparedness
      • 54_How to prepare medically for a disaster
    Life Saving Tips for Disaster - Nandika Devarajan, FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council

    Available on Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, and Amazon Music.

    Episode Recommendations:

      • Day to Day Disaster Preapredness with Shawneri Guzman
      • Busting Myths about Earthquakes with Dr. Hannah Rabinowitz

    The above episode recommendations were last updated in the summer of 2024. We highly recommend continuing to engage with these podcasts and check out their newly released episodes.