Let’s be careful; watch the rising waters
STEVE SMITH
The officials in Newport estimated that an 8.5 earthquake would
result in approximately 5,000 lives lost and about $12.6 million in
property damage. The good news, if there was any, was that these
figures are far below the numbers of lives lost and the extent of
damage from the tsunami in South Asia.
One member of the city’s Safety Policy Advisory Committee pointed
out, however, that these numbers did not include damages from an
accom- panying tsunami.
A Newport resident wondered if there were enough warning signs and
whether the ones that did exist were of any use.
He said that one sign that reads “Leaving Tsunami Hazard Zone” was
placed in a spot that made it all but useless.
Another tsunami sign in another part of Newport reads “Tsunami
Evacuation Route” but there are no additional signs to direct people
or drivers to the proper evacuation assembly area.
And still another sign reads “Entering Tsunami Hazard Zone,” but
it is also misplaced.
According to a local paper, “The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) is working on guidelines to mitigate the effects of a
tsunami. They include construction of ‘safe havens’ designed to
survive a tsunami, equipping port facilities with automatic shut-off
valves to reduce fuel leaks, and landscaping designed to break up a
tsunami’s force. Taking down sand dunes (or dune vegetation) to
improve a view achieves the opposite, FEMA says.”
But too much sand in front of some beachfront homes has been an
issue in the past. Now, in light of the FEMA information, the
disappearance of the dunes discovered a month ago should be treated
as a serious criminal offense if it is found that they were removed
by residents.
Sharp readers will recognize the fact that Newport Beach does not
have any tsunami signs such as the ones I’ve indicated. Those signs
appear in another Newport -- Newport, Ore.
The earthquake fatality and property figures, too, were from
Newport, Ore., as is the Safety Policy Advisory Committee. The local
newspaper in this case is the Newport News. The point of this was to
remind folks that we are not living in a vacuum. Other communities
have had the same tsunami warning challenges we’ve had, and resolving
them should not mean reinventing the wheel.
It’s strictly a matter of using, as a businessperson would, the
“best practices” of other towns, whether it’s sirens, drills, signage
or education.
We cannot completely protect ourselves from all harm. One of these
days, a very big earthquake is going to rock our world. And if it
doesn’t, we’ll have a flood or fire ants or some other natural
disaster. That’s part of life on Earth.
But it seems to me that a more effective tsunami warning system is
needed.
Still, I’m having trouble figuring out why, in the middle of one
of their meetings, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board of
trustees, located on the high ground of Baker and Bear, decided to
cancel its meeting when the warning hit.
I can’t think of any school or school facility that was in danger
of being damaged by a tsunami.
I’m hoping it was not because that night, they were hearing that a
group of parents actually had something seriously negative to say
about the job they were doing.
***
Three days ago, actress Jamie Lee Curtis spoke to a group of about
400 people at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort.
That day, Curtis told the crowd that it is never too late to make
life changes.
I agree.
Anything worth pursuing often has sacrifices attached. It has
people telling you it can’t or shouldn’t be done. Most of those
people will not understand your passion for doing something that you
know is your destiny.
But when you become successful at your passion (note: that’s
“when,” not “if.”), that success is sweeter.
I encourage you to follow your passion. Trust your instincts, even
when others are telling you in so many words that you are foolish.
Most of all, try your best every day. As my father used to say, “Keep
your feet moving.”Who knows, perhaps you will develop the world’s
best tsunami warning system.
* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer.
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