Tsunami hazard planning along the U.S. West Coast and Alaska is widely neglected due to the comparative rarity of tsunamis. Because of that rarity, individuals and communities are not as "tsunami-aware" as they should be. Furthermore, the level of tsunami readiness varies significantly from community to community. Avoidable casualties and property damage eventually will be significant unless communities at risk are prepared for tsunamis. Readiness involves two key components: awareness and mitigation. Awareness involves educating key decision makers, emergency managers, and the public about the nature (physical processes) and threat (frequency of occurrence, impact) of a hazard. Mitigation involves taking steps before a hazardous event occurs to lessen the impact (loss of life and property) of that event when it does occur. As with earthquakes, there is no question tsunamis will occur. It's just a matter of when, and how bad it will be.

• The key to increased awareness of the hazard is education
• The key to effective mitigation is pre-event planning

The National Weather Service (NWS) TsunamiReady program meets both elements of a useful readiness effort: it is designed to educate local emergency management officials and their public, and to promote a well-designed tsunami emergency response plan for each community.

TsunamiReady promotes tsunami hazard readiness as an active collaboration among Federal, state and local emergency management agencies, the public, and the NWS tsunami warning system. This collaboration supports better and more consistent tsunami awareness and mitigation efforts among communities at risk. The main goal is improvement of public safety during tsunami emergencies. To meet this goal, the following objectives need to be met:

• Create minimum standard guidelines for a community to follow for adequate tsunami readiness
• Encourage consistency in educational materials and response among communities and states
• Recognize communities that have adopted TsunamiReady guidelines
• Increase public awareness and understanding of the tsunami hazard
• Improve community pre-planning for tsunami disasters

Methodology

Guideline 1: Communications and Coordination Center

A key to effective hazards management is effective communication. This is especially true in tsunami emergencies, since wave arrival times may be measured in just minutes. Such a "short-fused" event requires an immediate, but careful, systematic and appropriate response. To ensure such a proper response, communities must have established the following:

1. 24-Hour Warning Point. To receive recognition under the TsunamiReady Program, an applying agency will need to have a 24-hour warning point (WP) that can receive NWS tsunami information and provide local reports and advice. Typically, this might be a law enforcement or fire department dispatching point. For cities or towns without a local dispatching point, a county agency could act in that capacity for them. For communities in Alaska with less than 2,500 residents and no county agency to act as a 24 hour warning point, the community must designate responsible persons who are able to receive warnings 24 hours per day and have the authority to activate local warning systems. The warning point will need to have:

• 24 hour operations.
• Warning reception capability.
• Warning dissemination capability.
• Ability and authority to activate local warning system(s).

2. Emergency Operations Center. Agencies serving jurisdictions larger than 2,500 people will need an emergency operations center (EOC). It must be staffed during tsunami events to execute the warning point's tsunami warning functions. Summarized below are tsunami-related roles of an EOC:

• Activated based on predetermined guidelines related to NWS tsunami information and/or tsunami events.
• Staffed with emergency management director or designee.
• Must have warning reception/dissemination capabilities equal to or better than the warning point.
• Ability to communicate with adjacent EOCs/Warning Points.
• Ability to communicate with local NWS office or Tsunami Warning Center.

Guideline 2: Tsunami Warning Reception

Warning points and EOCs each need multiple ways to receive NWS tsunami warnings. TsunamiReady guidelines to receive NWS warnings in an EOC/WP require a combination of the following, based on population:

• NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) receiver with tone alert. Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) is preferred. Required for recognition only if within range of transmitter.
• NOAA Weather Wire drop: Satellite downlink data feed from NWS.
• Emergency Managers Weather Information Network (EMWIN) receiver: Satellite feed and/or VHF radio transmission of NWS products.
• Statewide Telecommunications System: Automatic relay of NWS products on statewide emergency management or law enforcement system
• Statewide warning fan-out system: State authorized system of passing message throughout warning area
• NOAA Weather Wire via Internet NOAAport Lite: Provides alarmed warning messages through a dedicated Internet connection
• Direct link to NWS office: e.g. amateur or VHF radio
• E-mail from Tsunami Warning Center: Direct e-mail from Warning Center to emergency manager
• Pager message from Tsunami Warning Center: Page issued from Warning Center directly to EOC/WP
• Radio/TV via Emergency Alert System: Local Radio/TV or cable TV
• US Coast Guard broadcasts: WP/EOC monitoring of USCG marine channels
• National Warning System (NAWAS) drop: FEMA-controlled civil defense hotline

Guideline 4: Warning Dissemination

1. Upon receipt of NWS warnings or other reliable information suggesting a tsunami is imminent, local emergency officials should communicate the threat with as much of the population as possible. Receiving TsunamiReady recognition requires having one or more of the following means of ensuring timely warning dissemination to citizens (based on population):

• A community program that subsidizes the purchase of NWR. (NWR receiver with tone alert. SAME is preferred. Required for recognition only if within range of transmitter.)
• Outdoor warning sirens.
• Television audio/video overrides.
• Other locally-controlled methods, e.g. local broadcast system or emergency vehicles.
• Phone messaging (dial-down) systems.

2. At least one NWR with tone alert receiver must be located in each critical public access, government-owned building, and must include 24 hour warning point, EOC, School Superintendent office or equivalent. Critical public access buildings should be defined by each community's tsunami warning plan. Recommended locations include: all schools, public libraries, hospitals, fairgrounds, parks and recreational areas, public utilities, sports arenas, Dept's of Transportation, and designated shelter areas. (SAME is preferred. Required for recognition only if within range of transmitter.)

3. Counties/Boroughs only: a county/borough-wide communications network ensuring the flow of information among all cities and towns within its borders. This would include provision of a warning point for the smaller towns, and fanning out of the message as required by state policy.

Guideline 5: Community Preparedness

Public education is vital in preparing citizens to respond properly to tsunami threats. An educated public is more likely to take steps to receive tsunami warnings, recognize potentially threatening tsunami events, and respond appropriately to those events. Communities seeking recognition in the TsunamiReady Program must:

• Conduct or sponsor tsunami awareness programs in schools, hospitals, fairs, workshops, and community meetings (number of talks per year is based on population).
• Define tsunami evacuation areas and evacuation routes, and install evacuation route signs.
• Designate a tsunami shelter/area outside the hazard zone.
• Provide written tsunami hazard information to the populace, including:
  • Hazard zone maps
  • Evacuation routes
  • Basic tsunami information
  These instructions can be distributed through mailings, i.e., utility bills, within phone books, and posted at common meeting points such as libraries and public buildings throughout the community.
• Local schools must meet te following guidlines:
  • Encourage the inclusion of tsunami information in primary and secondary school curriculums. NWS will help identify curriculum support material.
  • Provide an opportunity biennially for a tsunami awareness presentation.
  • Schools within the defined hazard zone must have tsunami evacuation drills at least biennially.
  • Written safety material should be provided to all staff and students.
  • Have a earthquake plan.

Guideline 6: Administrative

No program can be successful without formal planning and pro-active administration. To be recognized in the TsunamiReady Program:

1. A tsunami warning plan must be in place and approved by the local governing body. This plan must address the following:

• Warning point procedures.
• EOC activation guidelines and procedures.
• Warning point and EOC personnel specification.
• Hazard zone map with evacuation routes.
• Procedures for canceling an emergency for those less-than-destructuve tsunamis.
• Guidelines and procedures for activation of sirens, cable TV overide, and/or local system activation in accordance with state Emergency Alert System (EAS) plans, and warning fan-out procedures, if necessary.
• Annual exercises.

2. Yearly visit/discussion with local NWS Forecast Office Warning Coordination Meteorologist or Tsunami Warning Center personnel. This can be a visit to the NWS office, phone discussion, or e-mail contacts.

3. NWS officials will commit to visit accredited communities, at least every other year, to tour EOCs/Warning Points and meet with key officials.

TsunamiReady Administration

Oversight of the TsunamiReady program is accomplished within the NWS by the National StormReady Board (the Board). The Board is responsible for changes in community recognition guidelines. Proposed guideline changes shall be directed to the Board for action. The Board consists of the NWS Regional Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Program Leaders, the National WCM Program Manager, Federal Emergency Management Administration representative, National Emergency Management Association representative, and an International Association of Emergency Managers representative. (See StormReady Organization and Operations Manual for further information on the National StormReady Board and program.)

Oversight of the TsunamiReady program at the local level is provided by the appropriate Local StormReady board. The Local StormReady board has the authority to enhance TsunamiReady to fit regional situations. At a minimum, this board consists of:

• NWS Weather Forecast Office's Meteorologist-in-Charge
• NWS Weather Forecast Office's Warning Coordination Meteorologist
• State emergency service director or designee
• Local emergency management association president or designee
• Tsunami Warning Center's Geophysicist-in-Charge
• Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program representative

The Local StormReady Board is responsible for all steps leading to the recognition of the TsunamiReady community. This includes implementing procedures for site verification visits and application review.

Benefits

Benefits of becoming a TsunamiReady Community include:

• Community is more prepared
• Regularly scheduled education forums
• Increase contacts with experts (emergency managers, researchers, NWS personnel)
• Identify community readiness resource needs
• Improve positioning to receive State and Federal funds
• Enhances core infrastructure to support other community concerns
• Permits public to see how their tax money is being spent in hazard programs

Acknowledgments/References

Acknowledgments to the Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory, FEMA, Alaska Division of Emergency Services, Oregon Emergency Management, Washington Emergency Management Division, and California Emergency Services for their support of the TsunamiReady program, as well as, suggestions that have been considered or incorporated into the document. Acknowledgements are also due to the local emergency officials, National Weather Service officials and others who have contributed valuable comments to this program.

The following are other sources for tsunami readiness:

• Earthquakes, FEMA-159, August 1992, 169p.
• Guidance for Local Officials, National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, 2001, 58p.
• Local Planning Guidance on Tsunami Response, California Office of Emergency Services, OES Earthquake Program, State of California, 195p. http://www.oes.ca.gov/
• StormReady Organization and Operations Manual for further information on the National StormReady Board and program. http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/resources/fy2001manual.pdf
• Strategic Implementation Plan for Tsunami Mitigation Projects, NOAA Technical Memorandum, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, NOAA, Dept. of Commerce. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami-hazard/loriplan.html
• Tsunami Curriculum - K-6 Grades, Washington State Military Department, Emergency Management Division, 2000, 67p.
• Tsunami Curriculum - 7-12 Grades, Washington State Military Department, Emergency Management Division, 2000, 51p.
• West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center's web page. http://wcatwc.gov/ or http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
• 1997-1999 activities of the Tsunami Mitigation Subcommittee: a report to the Steering Committee, National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami-hazard/TsunamiActivitiesBooklet.pdf