May 20, 2016
UW involvement in Cascadia Rising
In just a few weeks, the region will be pretending that the Cascadia Fault (also called the Cascadia Subduction Zone) has ripped. Remember that New York Times article that got everyone talking? The one that talked about what the Greater Seattle Area might look like after “The Really Big One” hits. Hint: The really big…
May 11, 2016
UW’s Disaster Advisory Committee is B-A-C-K !
After a long hiatus , internal reviews, member surveys and deep reflection, the UW’s Emergency Management Planning Committee has announced its next action-packed gathering (or meeting). Current and past EMPC members as well as any member of the UW community interested in disaster resilience, are encouraged to attend on Thursday, May 19th at 1:30pm in…
March 14, 2016
March 13th Windstorm Impacts UW
A nasty late-winter windstorm hit Western Washington on Sunday afternoon, March 13th. The Seattle campus experienced sustained winds of 30 mph for most of the afternoon with gusts nearing 45 mph. While nearly 250,000 residents of W. Washington lost power for hours, the Seattle campus remained fully-operational with only minor tree and limb damage. Building…
March 11, 2016
Prepare in a year: March
Water is essential for survival… you already knew that. But have you considered that the water lines that bring fresh water to your house could crack or break after a natural disaster? Try stocking up next time you go grocery shopping! How much? Three (3) gallons, per person, should cover drinking, cooking, and hygiene needs…
March 8, 2016
One Department’s example of Resilience is helping to show the way for others
UW Educational Outreach, a department that provides professional and continuing education academic services by offering over 130 professional certificates and 75 degrees (both undergraduate and graduate), has taken a very significant step towards improving their resilience. Through a lot of hard work and with some guidance from UWEM’s BARC program, UWEO has made great efforts…
Business, Academic and Research Continuity (BARC) video from UW Educational Outreach
UWEM worked with UW Educational Outreach to advise and provide some basic consultation to them on how to help their department and units become better prepared to manage some kind of disruptive event to their administrative and academic operations. They put together a very well-done video describing their efforts to ensure their employees are prepared…
February 29, 2016
Nisqually #2 or Cascadia Rising?
Did you hear?! Yesterday marked 15 years since the last major earthquake in Washington State. (Nisqually: 2001) The Seattle Times used the anniversary to bring light to an exercise that’s been “in the works” for some time, but is now just around the corner: Cascadia Rising. (June, 2016) Emergency Managers and first responders in every…
February 19, 2016
Prepare in a Year: February
After a major emergency, the likelihood of being able to call your local friends and family is severely limited. Why? The cell phone towers will be at maximum capacity. Every person is trying to call someone to see if they are okay. The solution? OUT-OF-AREA CONTACT You will have much greater success calling your aunt…
January 29, 2016
Prepare in a Year: January
One hour each month to make Disaster Readiness less daunting: January is all about Action Plans! Do you know WHAT TO DO when an earthquake, volcano, tsunami, or other disaster affects your home or workplace? Think WHO, WHAT, HOW, and WHEN. And most importantly, share the plan with friends, family, neighbors, and relatives. For more…
January 27, 2016
Think El Nino is Wreaking Havoc? Look What’s Next on our Horizon!
Here comes Madden-Julian Oscillation — a massive cluster of thunderstorms that plays a role in global weather. UW researchers are discovering yet-another natural weather phenomena that potentially can impact the price of tea in China and corn crops in the Midwest. Want to know more? Click:here.