However, funding for an earthquake early warning system known as ShakeAlert, failed to pass through the legislature. Without the state funding for ShakeAlert, it may take a while before people are able to rely on the system for advanced notice of an earthquake.
“You really can never be prepared enough,” Leland O’Driscoll, ShakeAlert Project Manager, said.
It’s a warning, not a prediction. A warning of up to three minutes before the ground shakes.
“Technology outpaces the speed of the earthquakes and that’s what allows us to detect and earthquake and then give a warning,” O’Driscoll said.
The ShakeAlert warning system monitors fast-moving seismic waves to warn of more damaging, slower moving waves on the way.
“That gives you some lead time to improve your position to be better positioned to survive the earth quake and therefore be in a better position to recover from the aftermath of an earthquake,” O’Driscoll said.
But what can you do with a minute’s head start?
“You can turn off water valves so you can preserve water to ride through the shaking. If you need to slow down a train or put up a stop sign on a bridge. You can do all of those automated things in a matter of seconds,” O’Driscoll said.
Experts say Oregon is falling behind in emergency preparedness. California and Washington both already invested in the technology.
“We’re here in Oregon without that occurrence and sort of looking toward our neighbors and saying, ‘Well we might fall sort of behind now,'” O’Driscoll said.
Earlier this summer, the Oregon legislature took $12 million for ShakeAlert off the table. The funding would have helped develop the system, as well as a complimentary wildfire alert system.
“It would have expedited the roll out of the system,” O’Driscoll said.
Currently, the ShakeAlert system is in Oregon, but only as a pilot program for utility companies and school districts.
With the program’s future expansion now dependent on federal funds, it could be several more years before your smartphone is able to give you the same kind of warning.
“In the case of federal funding we would see an eventual build out of the system. It would eventually be rolled out to our state, to our citizens but that’s sort of on a longer term pace,” O’Driscoll said.
For now, experts say people should be prepared for the big one to hit any time. You should have supplies to last you up to two weeks without access to electricity, water and outside communication.
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