Redwoood Coast Tsunami Work Group
Projects
Educational Materials
The RCTWG has developed materials to educate North Coast residents about earthquakes and tsunami hazards, including brochures in English and Spanish and Living on Shaky Ground, a preparedness magazine series.
Hazard Mapping
The RCTWG and Humboldt State University have developed relative tsunami hazard maps for much of the North Coast. The maps have been the basis for evacuation planning and response plans.
The Earthquake-Tsunami Room at County Fairs
The RCTWG sponsors displays at the Humboldt and Del Norte County Fairs which features a different theme each year. The room is staffed by professionals from RCTWG agencies and students from Humboldt State University. Exhibits have included a shake trailer, tsunami wave tank, real-time earthquake display, seismograph, liquefaction tank, an earthquake-tsunami theater and preparedness materials.
Fair Banners – 2010
Tsunami Awareness Week My Word Opinion Articles from the Times-Standard
Download tsunami evacuation maps
Humboldt County
Del Norte County
Evacuation planning and signage
In 2006 RCTWG team members began planning to identify areas that needed tsunami hazard and evacuation route signs. The group developed evacuation zone maps based on the North Coast relative tsunami hazard maps. As of January 2009, more than 400 signs have been installed in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, and sign installation is expected to be completed in Del Norte County in 2010.
TsunamiReady Program
TsunamiReady is a National Weather Service program that promotes tsunami planning and mitigation. RCTWG encourages and assists communities in the TsunamiReady application process. Crescent City was the first community in California to become recognized “TsunamiReady”. Two Humboldt County communities achieved TsunamiReady status in 2007.
Drills and response planning
In 2007, RCTWG helped the community of Samoa prepare for and conduct the first full-scale tsunami evacuation drill in California. Additional drills have been conducted in schools and other North Coast communities. In 2008, RCTWG members working with the State Office of Emergency Services planned and coordinated the first test of the tsunami warning communications system using actual (live) codes outside of Alaska. All three RCTWG counties will be included in 2009 testing. In 2006, Humboldt County participated in FEMA’s first ever tsunami response training exercise.