Alameda Fire Department (AFD) has taken to social media to remind us that this is Tsunami Preparedness Week here in Alameda, and we all need to learn how to recognize tsunami risks, warning signs, and how to respond quickly and safely.
“For Alameda, this matters,” AFD posted Monday, March 23, on Facebook [1] to start the week. “As a low-lying island city with miles of shoreline, marinas, and waterfront neighborhoods, even a small surge can create strong currents, flood low-lying areas, and put shoreline visitors at risk.”
[2]AFD noted that both historical data and analysis by scientists predict a major tsunami will impact the Bay Area just once every 975 years, so “a catastrophic tsunami is an extremely low risk to Alameda, but smaller events have the potential to impact our water fronts and marinas. To put this into perspective a 7.0 or greater earthquake on the Hayward Fault is predicted to happen every 140-150 years.”
This week, AFD will continue to share Alameda-specific steps to help us “Be Alameda Ready [3].” Those steps include:
- Understanding our local risks.
- Knowing our evacuation zone.
- Learning when and how to move inland.
- Recognizing natural warning signs.
- Making sure our households know what to do.
AFD posted additional Tsunami awareness information [4] on Tuesday, March 24, noting that Alameda residents may receive alerts from:
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (Federal Government alerts on mobile devices).
- AC Alert (County/City text and email notifications).
- City of Alameda official channels (website, social media).
- Television, radio, and NOAA Weather.
“Make sure you’re signed up for AC Alert [5], Alameda County’s official emergency notification system,” AFD suggested. Those alerts may send warnings via texts, calls, and emails for earthquakes, tsunamis, power outages, evacuations, and road closures. AFD also suggests following the City of Alameda as well as the Police and Fire departments on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor for updates.
AFD also mentioned signing up for Everbridge Community [6], a free mobile-enabled mass notification system used by local governments and agencies to send real-time public safety alerts, emergency notifications, and community updates to residents.