By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
The recent Bomb Cyclone that slammed the Pacific Northwest served as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in our infrastructure and the critical need for disaster preparedness. By planning ahead, families and communities can mitigate risks, reduce fear and anxiety, and save lives during emergencies.
Sheri Badger, Senior Communications Specialist for King County Emergency Management, says that it is important for everyone to be ready for the unexpected.
“Preparedness is important for everyone because during a disaster, there’s just limited resources to assist everyone,” says Badger. “We really encourage people to take personal responsibility by checking on their neighbors and making sure their families have everything they need for at least a week ready to go.”
Badger also said that it is important for people to have emergency supplies ready at home, in their cars and the workplace.
“Making sure they’ve got a car kit if they’re on the road, even a kit at work if they need to spend the night. But making sure that they’ve got preparations, they’ve got evacuation plans, they’ve got communications plans on how they’re going to communicate with their families,” she said.
Power outages—whether caused by extreme weather, natural disasters, or even cyberattacks—are one of the most common and disruptive effects of emergencies. These outages can halt communication, water supply, transportation, and access to critical services like heating, cooling, banking, and medical equipment. Preparing in advance ensures access to necessities such as food, water, and medication during prolonged outages.
Betsy Robertson, Communications Director for the Northwest Region of the American Red Cross, says that climate change is driving an increase in severe weather events, making preparedness more urgent than ever.
“From my perspective at the American Red Cross, we are seeing the escalation of climate-related events, and it really feels as though there is no corner of our country, of our world, and certainly this northwest region that is going to be immune to weather disasters and weather emergencies,” said Robertson.
According to Badger, emergency preparedness begins with three essential steps: making a plan, building a kit, and staying informed.
“We encourage people to make a plan, and that includes what you’re going to do, who you’re going to communicate with, and how you’re going to communicate if cell phones go down or you run out of batteries,” she said. “Also, where you’re going to call, who you’re going to call, and where you’re going to meet if you need to evacuate.”
Building an emergency kit is a foundational element of preparedness. Essentials like nonperishable food, clean water, flashlights, warm clothing, medications, and vital records should all be included. Badger emphasized the importance of safeguarding critical documents.
“Vital records, your birth certificates, death certificates, insurance papers—make copies of all these things that should go in that kit,” she advised.
Robertson added that kits should be customized to address individual needs, especially for those with medical conditions or specific dietary requirements.
“Every household, every individual is going to be different, and sometimes those needs are different if you have medical conditions,” she said. “You want to make sure those are considered in your emergency kit. If you have pets or young children, those are things that need to be considered. As humans, in order to survive and thrive, we need food, water, and shelter. Thinking about those things generally—what can I stock ahead of time? Are there any specific dietary needs I need to address?—are things that are going to help you.”
Communication during emergencies is another critical component of preparedness. Power outages and overburdened networks can disrupt calls, but text messaging often remains functional.
“In regard to texting, in some instances, yes, it’s just when there’s people calling—all people are calling—it jams up the system, but texting goes on a different system, so those texts may get through whereas the calls wouldn’t,” Badger explained.
Additional communication tools include satellite phones, walkie-talkies, CB radios, and transistor radios. King County Emergency Management encourages residents to stay informed through Alert King County, which provides real-time updates during emergencies.
“We send out alerts like we did at the beginning of the storm, advising people not to travel over mountain passes because of blizzard conditions,” Badger said. “We also link them to our emergency blog, which is KCemergency.com, for updated public information.”
Beyond communication, knowing where to find shelters and community resources is vital. Potential shelter locations include schools, community centers, and churches, though community centers are often preferred to allow schools to reopen quickly after disasters.
“After disasters subside, getting children back to school is important for restoring normalcy for families and allowing parents to return to work,” Badger explained.
Emergencies, whether caused by weather, power outages, or other events, highlight the need for vigilance. Robertson pointed out that preparedness is not just about survival but also about maintaining a sense of control and stability in uncertain situations.
“It’s about ensuring that, when disaster strikes, you have the resources you need to recover more quickly,” she said.
Staying informed and connected, assembling a comprehensive emergency kit, and having a well-thought-out plan can mean the difference between safety and chaos.
“Making sure that they’ve got a way to communicate or get information, even something as simple as a transistor radio, satellite phones, or a weather radio, is helpful to get information,” Badger said. “If all else fails, we’ll have the radio still.”
As the Pacific Northwest recovers from the Bomb Cyclone, the event serves as a crucial reminder to take disaster preparedness seriously. While we cannot prevent natural disasters, we can prepare for them, reducing their impact and protecting the safety and well-being of our families and communities.
“The smart thing to do is to be prepared,” Robertson said. “There are general things you can do, but it’s also personal and unique to every individual and household. Another important aspect is making sure you also check on family and neighbors.”