General information and links to informative sites are provided below for potential threats facing our area. Not all emergency/disaster situations can be foreseen, of course, and it’s not possible to define all scenarios that might occur, but we can all take steps to prepare. When considering vulnerabilities in a major disaster, it’s reasonable to assume that local resources may be overwhelmed, damaged, or otherwise limited in their ability to respond as planned. Likewise, it may not be possible to meet all needs under all circumstances due to a lack of funds or a shortage of resources. In the event of a major impact in the Western Washington region (say due to a rupture of the CSZ), Clallam County will be a lower priority relative to larger population areas to the east. Loss of our supply chain due to destroyed bridges and closures along Rt. 101 and Rt. 112, tsunami damage, landslides and liquefaction will require each of us to be as self-sufficient as possible for a minimum of 30 days and possibly longer.
The JEPP group is focused primarily on preparations for recovery from a catastrophic Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, but the group has taken steps to prepare the community for other potential threats however remote their possibility. These include: earthquakes; tsunamis; avalanches; landslides; floods; seiches; volcanic eruptions; severe weather events (fierce wind and snow storms); heat waves and droughts; and wildland fires – some of these compounded by the warming climate.
Other potentially devastating disasters, crises and existential risks include: epidemics; viral pandemics; bio-engineered pandemics; other communicable diseases; vector-borne diseases; terrorism; cyberterrorism; super volcanos, nuclear war and a nuclear winter; electromagnetic pulses; software-based superintelligence gone wrong; future nanotechnology gone awry (gnatbots, smart poisons, tiny weaponry); gamma ray bursts that result from the explosions of galaxies; and deadly unknowns we have no clue about at this time.
Some of these disaster scenarios are environmental or natural, others man made. All pose a significant threat to human health and safety, property, critical infrastructure, and security. Some threaten prolonged periods of disruption, insecurity and economic loss. Some we cannot do anything to prevent, which can create a sense of powerlessness and fatalism. A few of those mentioned above can be prevented or mitigated, and the impacts of some can be diminished through careful preparation and deliberate action. The JEPP group hopes for the best while preparing for the worst.
An avalanche (also called a snowslide) is an event that occurs when a cohesive slab of snow lying upon a weaker layer of snow fractures and slides down a steep slope. The potential for widespread damage due to an avalanche in Clallam County is negligible, the occurrence is infrequent, and there is no warning with regard to their potential onset.
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or tembler) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth, resulting from the sudden release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in size from those that are so weak that they cannot be felt to those violent enough to toss people around and destroy whole cities. Clallam County and the JEPP group are particularly concerned about the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) and the real possibility of a magnitude 9.0 quake which, it is predicted, will cause massive destruction, disruption and injury. More information about the CSZ quake can be found on this site under a separate heading. The potential for widespread damage from earthquakes in our area ranges from limited to catastrophic, the frequency of occurrence is likely, and there is no warning at the onset of quakes.
A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of “flooding water”, the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies, such as a river, lake or ocean, in which water overtops or breaks levees, resulting in some water escaping its usual boundaries or it may occur due to an accumulation of rainwater on saturated ground in an areal flood. While the potential for widespread damage is limited in Clallam County, the frequency of occurrence is likely and the potential onset is hours or days.
The term landslide (less frequently “landslip”) refers to several forms of mass wasting that include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated slope failures, mudflows and debris flows. They occur in a variety of environments, characterized by either steep or gentle slope gradients: from mountain ranges to coastal cliffs or even underwater, in which case they are called submarine landslides. Gravity is the primary driving force. The potential for widespread damage is limited in Clallam County although the frequency of occurrence is considered possible, and the onset time is no warning.
The term severe weather refers to any dangerous meterorological phenomena with the potential to cause damage, serious social disruption or loss of human life. High winds, hail, excessive precipitation and wildfires are forms and effects of severe weather, as are thunderstorms, downbursts, microbursts, tornadoes and waterspouts. Seasonal weather phenomena include blizzards (snowstorms) and ice storms in our area. The potential for widespread damage in our county ranges from limited to catastrophic, the frequency of occurence is likely, and the onset time is hours to days.
A seiche is a standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water. The Swiss word means “to sway back and forth.” Seiches and seiche-related phenomena have been observed on lakes, reservoirs, swimming pools, bays, harbors and seas. The key requirement for the formation of a seiche is that the body of water be at least partially bounded, allowing the formation of the standing wave. The potential for widespread damage in our county is negligible, the frequency of occurrence is considered possible, and its expected there will be no warning before onset.
A tsunami (from the Japanese – literally “harbor wave”), sometimes called a seismic wave or, erroneously, a tidal wave, is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations, landslides, glacier calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances) above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. Unlike normal ocean waves, which are generated by wind, or tides which are generated by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, a tsunami is generated by the displacement of water. In our county, the potential for widespread damage is limited to the coast at <40 feet, the frequency is considered possible, and the onset time is predicted to be 6-12 hours if coming from afar and no warning if generated nearby.
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as the Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. Volcanos are generally found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging (i.e. the Cascade Range) and most are found underwater. We have no dormant or active volcanoes in Clallam County, so both the potential for widespread damage and the frequency are considered negligible. However, we may be affected by falling ash during a major eruption in the Cascade Range.
A wildland fire or wildfire is an uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation occurring in rural areas. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire can also be classified more specifically as a brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, grass fire, hill fire or vegetation fire. The potential for widespread damage in Clallam County due to a wildfire is limited, although the frequency of occurrence is considered likely, and advance warning following the onset typically ranges from about 6-12 hours.
You can learn more about wildfires by clicking on one or another of these blue headings: … The Ultimate Guide to Wildfire Safety … Camping and Fires: Safety Tips … 15 Fire Safety Tips for Kids They’ll Never Forget … Fire Safety at Home: The Ultimate Guide for Parents … Do You Have a Pet Preparedness Emergency Plan … A Guide to Senior Fire Safety … What you need to know About RV Fire Safety.
A hazardous material is any item or agent (biological, chemical, radiological, and/or physical), which has the potential to cause harm to humans, animals or the environment, either by itself or through interaction with other factors. Included under this heading are chemicals which are carcinogens, toxic agents, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, and agents which damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes Also included are chemicals which are combustible, explosive, flammable, and chemicals which in the course of handling produce or release harmful dusts, gases, fumes, vapors, mists or smoke. Hazardous materials can be released by spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, leaching, dumping or disposing into the environment. The potential for widespread damage in Clallam County due to a “hazmat” release is considered negligible and the frequency of occurrence is considered limited. If a hazmat release were to occur, however, there will likely be no advance warning.
An epidemic is the rapid spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time, ususally two weeks or less. An epidemic may be restricted to one location; however, if it spreads to other countries or continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic. The potential for widespread harm in Clallam County due to an epidemic ranges from limited to catastrophic, the frequency of occurrence is considered possible, and advance warning following the onset of a release is considered >24 hours.
Terrorism is in the broadest sense the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror among masses of people, or fear to achieve a religious or political aim. It is used in this regard primarily to refer to violence during peacetime or in the context of war against non-combatants (civilians). Terrorism is a charged term and there are many definitions, but it generally refers to acts that are morally wrong. The potential for widespread damage or harm in Clallam County due to terrorist acts is considered negligible although the frequency of occurrence is considered possible. In the event of a terrorist act there is almost always no advance warning.
Cyberterrorism is the use of the Internet to conduct violent acts that result in, or threaten, the loss of life or significant bodily harm, in order to achieve political or ideological gains through threat or intimidation. It is also sometimes considered an act of Internet terrorism where terrorist activities, including acts of deliberate, large-scale disruption of computer networks, especially of personal computers attached to the Internet by means of tools such as computer viruses, computer worms, phishing, and other malicious software and hardware methods and programming scripts. Cyberterrorism is a controversial term. Some authors opt for a very narrow definition, relating to deployment by known terrorist organizations of disruption attacks against information systems for the primary purpose of creating alarm, panic, or physical disruption. Other authors prefer a broader definition, which includes cybercrime. Participating in a cyberattack affects the terror threat perception, even if it isn’t done with a violent approach. By some definitions, it might be difficult to distinguish which instances of online activities are cyberterrorism or cybercrime.