Sponsored by Tillamook County Citizen Corps Council-TC4
By Deborah Maynard, Lt Col, CAP USAF and TC4 Member
Survival is not a game! In the event of a disaster, will you be prepared to survive? What does survival in Tillamook County look like? The answer is simple: Plan. Prepare. Practice. Have you seen our signs around town?
How do you prepare to survive? When disaster strikes—whether the world goes out to sea, the ground sinks beneath us, or our communities are cut off by damaged roads and bridges—who will come to help?
Our first responders will. But remember: first responders are just that—FIRST responders. They will need to make sure their own families are safe, assess the damage, and then respond to the most urgent emergencies as quickly and effectively as possible. But can they get to you? Are the roads open? Are the bridges intact? Is there flooding? Can emergency personnel even get to work? Before a disaster, we simply don’t know.
That is why you are your own first line of survival. INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS IS CRITICAL.
The real-life version of Survivor isn’t a game or television show. It is being PREPARED, HAVING A PLAN, AND PRACTICING THAT PLAN. It means having the skills, supplies, and equipment you may need to get through the long haul.
It also means working together as a community. The Tillamook County Citizens Corps Council (TC4) is a countywide coalition of volunteer emergency preparedness groups and partner organizations. TC4 supports community preparedness through education, collaboration, and strong local partnerships.
Among its accomplishments is a countywide communications system that integrates several types of communication into a tiered reporting network. TC4 has also worked with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) to implement Resilience Hub projects throughout the county. Tillamook County Leadership, including Emergency Manager Randy Thorpe, a TC4 member, plays an integral role in supporting emergency preparedness efforts involving state, county, city, organizational, and community partners.
These dedicated volunteer groups are working to provide equipment, supplies, training, and resources that strengthen our ability to Prepare – Plan – and Practice, to be safer and more resilient following emergencies and disasters. These hubs provide equipment, supplies, and set the stage for training to improve readiness and self-sufficiency for local or countywide emergencies and disasters. Their dedication and commitment to promoting more resilience and safety in their communities is their part.
Your part is to become as prepared as possible. Attend preparedness presentations. Participate in exercises such as the Great ShakeOut. Learn what to do before, during, and after a disaster. One of the most important factors is to have a Go Bag. (That may be ALL you have for a period of time.)
September is National Preparedness Month and it’s a good reminder that emergencies and disasters can happen at any time. You should always be prepared to pick up and go when you need to – and the best way to do that is to have a packed-and-ready Go Bag in your car, near the front door and/or in another convenient spot, like your job site. Having a “Go–Bag” – a backpack style bag stuffed with emergency essentials – can help prepare you for the unexpected, and there’s no better time to put one together than National Preparedness Month!
How do you know what to put in a Go Bag? Food and water are the basic necessities of an emergency Go Bag. During disasters, water lines may break, water resources become polluted, and wells may stop functioning. A personal water filter straw can be a life-saver! They are available in most local stores or can be easily ordered online. Your “Go Bag” should also contain basic emergency supplies to help you and each member of your family survive until you can reach shelter or your designated assembly area.
Keep in mind the items you include in your Go Bag should be tailored to your own situation and basic needs. Such things as specific medication or medical equipment you depend on (oxygen tank, charging units, etc.) need to be included or planned for. If you have children, pets, or other family members with specific needs at your home, consider packing an individual Go Bag for each of them as well. The types of items you pack will depend on your locale — both because of the types of natural disasters common in the area and also the kind of local terrain where you live.
Do you have mobility issues? Is there a way to plan for supported transit to an evacuation assembly location? Do you know where the assembly locations are? Go to: https://nvs.nanoos.org/TsunamiEvac and put in your address. You will get a map of the evacuation route and “Safe Location” out of the anticipated Tsunami Zone. Then proceed to your designated Assembly Area (meeting place) in your community. On this website you can also download a pamphlet to print and keep in your Go Bag for future reference.
What kind of foods do you require? Are you allergic to specific items? Choose nutritious, nonperishable foods that you actually like. If you’ve never eaten freeze-dried meals, try them before an emergency. There’s nothing worse than discovering during a disaster that your emergency dinner is something you hate—or that it doesn’t agree with you! Canned beans and vegetables can last a long time, but they are heavy. Protein and energy bars are convenient sources of quick energy, but they aren’t intended to be your only food source for an extended period. Freeze-dried backpacking meals are another lightweight option and are widely available in stores and online. If you have favorites, keep some on hand. And don’t forget to prepare for the dark. Electricity may be unavailable, so keep a flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries in your supplies.
Pack extra clothing like socks, shoes and underwear, or sanitary protection. Think seriously about what you and your household may need to be self-sufficient for at least 2 weeks. Visit: https://www.2wr.org/home
and begin your preparation today! You never know what tomorrow will bring and survival county is not a game!
Plan. Prepare. Practice.
Please participate with your community in the Earthquake and Tsunami exercise — The Great ShakeOut!
Thursday October 15, 2026, beginning at 10:15 am –
Hope to see you at one of the Assembly Areas or Neighborhood Gathering Sites!!
