(Article 5 in the GREAT SHAKE OUT SERIES sponsored by Tillamook County Citizen Corps Council-TC4)
by Deborah Maynard, Lt Col, CAP USAF and TC4 Member
Tillamook County residents turned out in unprecedented numbers on October 15th for the Great ShakeOut 2026 —the county’s largest earthquake and tsunami preparedness exercise to date. Organized by the Tillamook County Citizens Corps Council (TC4) which has a membership of 10 volunteer emergency preparedness groups: Bay City Emergency Volunteer Corps, Cape Meares Emergency Volunteer Corps, Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay, Garibaldi Emergency Volunteers, Nedonna Beach Neighborhood Association, Netarts Emergency Response Volunteers, Oceanside Volunteer Emergency Readiness Team, Rockaway Beach Emergency Preparedness Corps, South Tillamook County Emergency Volunteer Corps, and Tillamook Emergency Volunteer Corps. In addition to the volunteers, there was a multitude of amazing and dedicated partners that included government entities, healthcare agencies, fire and rescue services, law enforcement agencies, utility companies, community organizations, schools and individuals! This year’s event marked the fourth annual Tillamook County Great ShakeOut exercise, and has been the most successful in raising awareness, sharing information and practicing the crucial evacuation to your designated Assembly Area.
Preparedness in Action:
At exactly 10:15 a.m., participants across the county practiced Drop, Cover, and Hold On and then evacuate to a safe location (out of inundation zone or unsafe structures) and then on to their designated assembly area (Community/Public), or neighborhood gathering site if one had been established. The scenario simulated a moderate-to-large scale local earthquake followed by the need for immediate tsunami evacuation. This exercise highlighted the importance of personal preparedness and quick response.
Strong Leadership and Broad Community Engagement:
Exercise planners emphasized the importance of collaboration across cities, county leadership, emergency volunteers, healthcare, schools, businesses, and parks. This year saw especially strong engagement from: City and County Leaders, Tillamook County Emergency Management, and neighborhood CERT volunteers. All Three School Districts (Neahkahnie, Nestucca and Tillamook School Districts) played a HUGE role in full “Drop, Cover, Hold On and Evacuate to their designated assembly areas. The assembly areas recorded exceptional participation, signing participants in as they arrived. Assembly Areas were staffed with trained greeters, who shared educational materials, demonstrated preparedness equipment such as Go-Bags, and answered questions.
The local Tillamook County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flew the coast from Manzanita to Sand Lake using an Aerial Photographer to graphically document the assembly areas form the air for review and future reference. The photography mission took pictures at established coordinates provided by TC4 ahead of the exercise. Fire and Rescue and the Tillamook Adventist Hospital were instrumental in getting the word out for their communities and participating in an additional graded mass casualty exercise (located at the Tillamook County Fair Grounds) at the same time. CAP cadets and volunteer nursing students played the victims, made up to resemble injured individuals (moulaged by the CAP volunteers).
Cadet A1C Lucas Wynia and Cadet Kameron Bowen act as victims complete with stage make-up wounds (moulage).
Many local businesses county-wide assisted with promotion and staff participation for the exercise and general preparedness.
The newly established communications leads relayed the number of individuals at each site via GMRS and HAM radio networks to the Incident Command set up in the new Emergency Management Offices (in the old BLM building recently purchased by the county). In an actual disaster, this vital communication line would be notifying Incident Command where groups of individuals are for evacuation, supply drops, etc. According to exercise evaluators, communication between Assembly Areas, net control, and Tillamook County Emergency Management was timely, effective and clear.
The value of this exercise was apparent as participants reported increased awareness of evacuation procedures, preparedness principles, and the value of having a well-equipped Go Bag. Tillamook County’s goal is to have universal and clear terminology and information countywide to enable our community to be as prepared and safe as possible should we be faced with the unthinkable!
Year-Over-Year Participation Surges
The most striking outcome of the Great ShakeOut 2026 was the documented and continued increase in participation:
- 2023: 455 participants
- 2024: 741 participants
- 2025: 3,921 participants
- 2026: 4,425 participants (12.9% improvement countywide over 2025)
Participation in the Great Shakeout exercise has grown by approximately 872.5% since 2023 which was the first year the Great ShakeOut was sponsored by TC4! This significant increase reflects growing community awareness and commitment to emergency preparedness, as well as the success of TC4’s countywide outreach efforts. These efforts include distributing flyers, publishing articles, conducting business visits, delivering presentations to community organizations, members and leaders, engaging schools, and implementing community social media campaigns. This year TC4 was able to place 4X4 posters around the city thanks to the Tillamook Chamber of Commerce’s four new sign locations. The Tillamook Coliseum Theater provided a complimentary showing of the documentary, “Rumblings” as part of community awareness the weekend before the Great Shakeout. This movie provided in-depth information about subduction zones and faults including the subsequent earthquakes and tsunamis after these faults move.
Looking Ahead
The post-exercise evaluations identified several opportunities for improvement in the year ahead, including a review of Assembly Areas, emphasis on clarifying definitions, expanding Go Bag education, and being a resource for ongoing information as well as engaging in future exercises.
Throughout the evaluation, one message remained consistent: Preparedness relies on practice and repetition—not a one-time effort. Just as regular fire drills help build response acknowledgement and muscle memory, repeatedly practicing evacuation procedures helps individuals and families respond more confidently and effectively when an emergency occurs. The Great ShakeOut 2026 demonstrated that Tillamook County is continuing to build a stronger, more resilient community—one where neighbors know their evacuation routes, support one another, and recognize the importance of being prepared and responding quickly.
Mark your calendars!
The Great ShakeOut 2027 will take place on October 21, 2027, at 10:21 a.m. This annual earthquake preparedness exercise is part of a worldwide effort, with participation at the national, state, and county levels. Preparedness is an ongoing commitment. By practicing together, staying informed, and looking out for one another, Tillamook County can continue strengthening our readiness and resilience to respond successfully to any wide-spread emergency and survive!
