Surviving emergencies with '3 Days, 3 Ways'

January 2, 5:35 PMSeattle Newcomer ExaminerShiwani Srivastava

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  Courtesy King County's 3 Days, 3 Ways

There were two big emergencies during my stint as a New Yorker - 9/11 and the Northeast Blackout of 2003.  I learned a lot about disaster preparedness after that (for example, keeping bottles of wine around for unexpected guests isn't as important as having bottles of water stored away for unexpected events).

But there are different steps you need to take to be ready for a disaster in New York versus Seattle.  For example, I didn't grow up with earthquake drills, and my first impulse when the ground starts to shake is "There goes the subway."

If you're like me, you'll want to pay attention to King County's 3 Days, 3 Ways, Are You Ready?.  It's a campaign designed to get residents  prepared to survive on their own for up to three days following a major emergency or disaster.

The site covers a broad range of scenarios - terrorism, civil disorder, and anthrax, just to name a few.  But what I found most interesting was the section on building and maintaining earthquake-safe homes (a completely new concept to me).

I would like to see more basic information, though, like "get under a desk" or "don't go outside" when it comes to earthquakes.  I've heard stories of the big Pacific Northwest earthquake of 2001, but if you're a Seattle newcomer too, it sounds like the stuff of legends (and a little scary). 

The CDC actually has a useful resource page on earthquakes, and it's also a good idea to check out tips from a Northwest specific guide too.  I don't think the goal here is to scare anyone.  But as I learned from my time in New York, as rare as emergencies tend to be, it never hurts to be prepared.