State Guard helps make Washington 2 weeks ready

Change, for many, isn’t easy. Especially when it requires an investment of time and money.

However, following the 2016 Cascadia Rising exercise, the state changed its guidance on personal preparedness, and now urges individuals, families and communities to be “2 Weeks Ready,” stocking up enough supplies to survive two weeks on their own. The exercise proved that following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, it could be weeks – or longer – before help will arrive.

To help drive that message, the Washington State Guard, in coordination with the Washington National Guard and the state’s Emergency Management Division, is actively promoting the “2 Weeks Ready” public awareness program.

To help drive how critical personal preparation is, members of the State Guard remind people, especially those living in the Coastal regions of Washington, that we’re vulnerable to tsunamis, triggered by a rupture of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which is a 1,000 kilometer fault that runs parallel to the Northwest coastline. Models have projected that such an event poses an immense threat to life, safety and property in the region. Transportation and movement would be extremely limited, with the expectation that all major roadways would be impassable and ports and airports would be severely damaged. There are, of course, many other major fault lines that can and do cause earthquakes in the region but the CSZ is regarded as the premier natural threat.

Since the start of the year, members of the State Guard have been actively helping citizens prepare for a CSZ-level event. Recent activities include working with the State Emergency Management Division at readiness and preparedness fairs and other public gatherings, and participating in amateur radio exercises.

Preparedness cannot be accomplished overnight, but working with local, county, tribal, state and federal partners, the Washington State Guard is doing its part to make sure all Washingtonians are prepared for the “Big One."

Preparedness info is at mil.wa.gov/preparedness