TSUNAMI PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE AT QUINAULT INDIAN NATION BRINGS
TOGETHER PARTNERS FROM ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230426/tsunami-preparedness-exercise-quinault-indian-nation-brings-together]


Release Date: 
May 31, 2018 

TAHOLAH, Wash. – How would the Quinault Indian Nation respond to a
major tsunami that devastated Washington’s coastal communities and
prevented outside help from getting to the tribe immediately?

This week the tribe hosted a tabletop exercise – collaborating with
personnel from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
Washington Emergency Management Division (EMD) and Grays Harbor County
– to explore how it would put its emergency plan into action to save
lives and protect property, and discuss the process for getting help
from FEMA and other partners.

A tabletop exercise involves key personnel discussing simulated
scenarios. Exercise participants look at the issues in depth and
develop decisions through problem-solving discussions, rather than
through the fast-paced, spontaneous decision-making that is necessary
during actual emergency conditions. In this case, the scenario was a
9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska that left the tribe about three
hours to prepare before a series of tsunami waves roared ashore.

Wednesday’s 4-hour exercise was preceded on Tuesday by a
presentation on the tribe’s history, an overview of the tsunami
warning system from EMD, and a presentation from FEMA about the
process for requesting a major disaster declaration.

In all, more than three dozen emergency management personnel from all
levels of government participated in the two-day event.

More information about disaster preparedness is available at
www.ready.gov [http://www.ready.gov] or www.fema.gov
[http://www.fema.gov]. [In a large room, several dozen people sit
around six circular tables. The wall in the back of the room features
tribal emblems in black, blue and red.]