Get Prepared for the Big One!

By Larry Short

Watch this fascinating and terrifying simulation of what
might happen to the Seattle waterfront during a major quake.

Scientists estimate the Cascadia Subduction Fault (which sits 50 miles offshore and is more than 600 miles long, here in the Northwest) is responsible for a mega-quake every 300 years or so. The last time it let loose was in January 1700 (yes, you do the math) and it unleashed furious tsunamis which pounded Japanese fishing villages thousands of miles away.

The last 24 hours there has been a string of quakes up and down Pacific coastal waters (the so-called "Ring of Fire") ... including off the Oregon coast.

A 9.0 quake (the estimated size of the last one) would severely shake cities like Seattle and Tacoma for 2-5 minutes, bringing down buildings and highway overpasses. And it would be followed by a string of hundreds of aftershocks, some possibly in the 8+ range. Coastal areas could be inundated by tsunamis.

This recent MSNBC science article says our undersea megafault "is behaving much like the one that broke offshore in Chile" recently. And that was written last month.

So, are you prepared? Do you have at least three days' (preferably more) supply of food, water, medicines, radio, flashlight with batteries, etc.? Do you know how to turn off your utilities where they enter your dwelling place? Have you made arrangements with friends and relatives how to indicate to them that you are safe, or a safe place to meet?

Same thing goes for my friends in California. Remember the San Andreas fault?

Two other issues I promised my Facebook friends I'd address:

Personal Protection

Personally I don't think families with children should have guns anywhere in the home, unless they are very well and very consistently locked up in a proper gun safe. The risk of an accident is too great otherwise, outweighing the risks that you might encounter during a disaster for personal protection.

But for others, I think it's something to carefully consider. Our constitution and laws guarantee us the right to bear arms for personal protection. I lived through the scare associated with the riots in the Los Angeles/South Central riots in 1992. I realized then that if you need a weapon to defend yourself and your family, if you wait until the crisis itself you really can't obtain one when you need it. It can take weeks.

So, it's something for responsible adults in the right situation to consider ahead of the crisis. Just be sure to follow all applicable laws and train yourself on how to use your weapon responsibly. And don't go overboard and become one of those wacky people that the FBI has to monitor!

Spiritual Preparedness

I think it's even more important to be spiritually prepared for a disaster. There are no guarantees for any of us; no matter how well prepared you are, you might not survive a disaster. And even without disasters, none of us  know for sure what the next five minutes might bring.

So it's wise to be sure you are fully satisfied with your answers to the following questions:

• In case something happens to you, do your loved ones have everything they need to keep moving forward? Have you "cleared the decks" and are you at peace with the people around you?
• Are you doing everything in your power to leave a living legacy for those who survive you?
• Even more importantly, are you at peace with God? If you had to face Him, 10 minutes from now, would you be ready to give an account for your life? Have you received the forgiveness and power for right living that He offers to you as a result of His Son, Jesus, coming to die for you on the Cross?
• Are you ready for eternity?

Get prepared this week! If you feel you need spiritual preparation, drop me a note. I'd love to help. As far as physical preparation goes, here are some helpful links:

• Ready.gov ... FEMA's excellent guide to disaster preparedness
• Bug-out bag ... a helpful article on Wikipedia on creating a 72-hour preparedness kit
• Backwoods Home Magazine ... see the helpful index of articles under the topic "Self-Reliance"