You’ve dropped, covered, and held on. You’ve survived the initial earthquake! The shaking has stopped (for the time being) and now what?

GET TO HIGH GROUND!

Evacuate out of the Inundation Zone, and then on to your Assembly Area, (or Neighborhood Gathering Site if established)! Even if an earthquake does not initiate an immediate tsunami, it may still happen. After shocks are common as the earth settles following the disruption and may go on for a long period of time.

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.

Survival County 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.

How do we prepare for surviving an earthquake and a tsunami? What happens after the initial

splash? It helps to know what a tsunami is, and what it can do! Everyone is familiar with

earthquakes. The ground moves; so does everything else. But what happens with a tsunami?

How can we plan to survive? How long can you tread water (Bill Cosby said that in one of his

comedy routines about Noah and the Ark.)? The first step is to get educated. Earthquakes and

tsunamis go hand in hand for coastal areas and regions with huge lakes. In this second article in

the series about the Great Shake Out we will showcase tsunamis.

If you have not heard by now, Oregon has a fault – it’s called the Cascadia Subduction Zone and it runs from California to British Columbia between 70 to 100 miles off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It is our fault and the more we know about what a fault is and how it affects the area around it, the better prepared we are to handle the possible outcomes.

On Thursday, October 15 at 10:15 a.m., people across Tillamook County will practice what to do when a major earthquake hits: Drop, Cover, Hold On, then evacuate. This is the fourth year the Tillamook County Citizen Corps Council (TC4) has sponsored the Great ShakeOut countywide, and participation keeps growing. Last year 3,921 people took part, up from 455 in the first year.

A real-world example of why EVCNB prepares multiple ways to communicate during an emergency

Emergency preparedness can sometimes feel theoretical. We talk about communications failures, redundant systems and practicing with emergency equipment in case the day comes when we actually need it.

On May 30 we set up a working Assembly Area at Rex-Champ Field with Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue and ran it like the real thing. More than thirty people took part, and many of them stayed all the way through to the debrief at the fire hall.

Curious what an Assembly Area actually is, and how it differs from a Neighborhood Gathering Site or a warming shelter? Here is the short version, plus three easy ways to get involved before the next drill.

Strong communities are built through strong partnerships.

The Nehalem Bay Wastewater Agency has taken another important step in strengthening our region’s emergency preparedness with the acquisition of an amphibious emergency response vehicle. EVCNB is grateful to partner with NBWA and our local first responders as we continue working together to build a more resilient Nehalem Bay.

Click the title above to check out their announcement for more details.

Huge congratulations to Adele Spegman, one of EVCNB’s dedicated volunteers with the Nehalem Bay Medical Reserve Corps, for being recognized during National Volunteer Appreciation Week by SERV-OR/Oregon Health Authority.

The Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay (EVCNB) hosted its 3rd Annual Top Emergency Chef Contest on February 10 at the Pine Grove Community House — and once again, the event proved why it has quickly become one of our community’s most anticipated nights of the year.

Click to read more, see pictures and get the recipes for the contestants’ dishes.

Fresh voices and experienced leaders are joining the EVCNB Board. Meet our new Board Members at Large and learn how this new role is helping advance our mission to build a culture of preparedness and resilience across the Nehalem Bay region.

Created to strengthen leadership and broaden community representation, this position allows board members to contribute where their skills can make the greatest difference. Together, they support EVCNB’s work to ensure our neighbors, families, and communities are ready for whatever comes next.

The American Red Cross conducted a comprehensive Shelter Exercise at Manzanita Calvary Bible Church, one of the three designated North County EVCNB emergency shelter facilities. Red Cross trainers Jaime and Hannah led the session, guiding volunteers through essential shelter operations and coordination practices.

Tillamook County residents turned out in unprecedented numbers on October 16 for the 2025 Great ShakeOut—the county’s largest earthquake and tsunami preparedness exercise to date.

Organized by the Tillamook County Citizens Corps Council (TC4) in partnership with local emergency preparedness groups, government agencies, and community organizations, this year’s event marked the third annual countywide ShakeOut drill and the most successful by far.

EVCNB partnered with Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue during their annual Open House.

Read the article to see lots of pictures from a fun day at the Fire Station.