Oregon State Representatives Praise Emergency Response to Tsunami Threat

photo: Brookings Harbor.


State Representatives Brad Witt, Deborah Boone, Jean Cowan and Arnie Roblan said today that while Oregon will be spared from the magnitude of disaster that struck Japan this morning, coastal residents should still be well-prepared for any additional tsunami surges that might occur on the coast.

All four representatives said that the initial response system worked well, notifying people of impending danger. Scores of coastal residents left the area during the early morning hours in response to notifications through both phone calls and tsunami warning sirens.

The coastal representatives urged people to follow common sense disaster preparations, including having a battery-powered radio to listen for emergency broadcast announcements. In this case, because the earthquake was so far off the coast of Oregon, emergency preparation officials had ample time to notify local residents.

“We’ve been through disasters on the coast before and we know how to handle ourselves,” said Witt (D-Clatskanie). “We’ve spent a lot of time making sure we are prepared for this kind of natural emergency and our response teams are doing a great job of evacuating residents where necessary and standing ready to assist local residents.

“People need to listen to the emergency responders, stay off the beaches and act responsibly to protect themselves and others,” said Boone (D-Cannon Beach).

Cowan, who headed the Legislature’s efforts two years ago to improve its disaster readiness, said the notification system put into operation last night let local residents know quickly that a disaster was on the horizon. Disasters of this type also present opportunities to learn more about our ability to respond and to educate the public on how best to protect themselves and their communities.

“Quick response to the threat of danger is the first sign we are prepared. Letting people know in advance, when possible, gives them the chance to move inland,” said Cowan (D-Newport). “Once we are through this immediate danger, we will be talking with our local emergency response teams, evaluating what worked and where we need to improve as we prepare for the next potential disaster. It’s also a chance to educate people about the difference between a near shore event where people have 20 minutes to evacuate and an event that happened across the ocean which gave us much more time to respond.”

Co-Speaker Roblan (D- Coos Bay) said emergency readiness officials from the coast and from the state level are monitoring the situation, and are prepared to offer assistance to local residents.

“Stay away from the Coast. Stay safe,” said Roblan. “But if you run into problems, know that our state and local emergency teams are ready to respond. Let’s hope we can avert another disaster on the coast… but know we are ready to respond to calls for assistance.

“As we give thanks to our emergency responders know that our prayers and best wishes are with the people of Japan.”