In terms of natural disasters, for those of us living in this area, having a “Go Bag” for emergencies may seem like a bit of overkill. But keep in mind that although we do not always feel them, our state experiences an earthquake nearly every day. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is situated off the Washington, Oregon and part of Northern California coast. This fault line could be the catalyst for “the big one.”

Earthquakes are not the only reason we might be forced to leave our homes and flee to safety. We live near a regional airport, so a potential aircraft crash could be an issue. Out of control fires during fire season could be a reason. A tsunami, flooding, landslide, dangerous chemical spills… the list goes on.

Mukilteo’s geography (Old Town, Mid-Town/Speedway, Harbour Pointe area) is spread out, meaning there is a potential for one or more of these sections being cut off from the rest of our local resources (fire, medical, police, county/state support) during a catastrophic event.

There are a couple ways to plan for your family. One may necessitate sheltering in place, or staying put. The other is to leave the affected area. In both cases, planning ahead will make you feel more in control of a situation in which you are uneasy.

SHELTERING: A safe preparation plan would be a two week supply of…

Shelf safe food
Water (use water behind toilets and in water heaters as a water supply if needed)
Medication
Basic tools
Radio/flashlight-batteries/matches
Cash
Important documents
Clothes, shoes, etc.
Communication lists (important contacts, passwords)
electronics, cords
Pet supplies

*if you are being told to GO, then have a revised list of the essentials noted above… meds, cash, electronics, cords, communication lists, food and water.

NETWORK OF SUPPORT: Have contact information for those you trust… neighbors, church, human services, food bank, family, co-worker.

Finally, and we have not covered all the resources… this QR code will take you to a county website with contact info for a variety of help sources.

Ty, Sammie from SnoCo, for a great informational talk.

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