IS-326: Community Tsunami Preparedness

Note: This course is on a non-federal government website operated by the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET).

This module is designed to help emergency managers prepare their communities for tsunamis. Lessons include basic tsunami science, hazards produced by tsunamis, regional U.S. tsunami risks, the tsunami warning system, the importance of public education activities, and how to craft good emergency messages and develop tsunami response plans. Additional content provides video interviews of lessons learned by public officials in Crescent City, CA after the March 11, 2011 tsunami that originated in Japan. The module also contains links to extensive Reference and Resources sections. The latter includes tsunami PowerPoint presentations for each major U.S. region (Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, Hawaii and Pacific Islands, Alaska, and Caribbean) that can be downloaded and customized for a particular location or need.

• Explain the causes of tsunamis, how the wave propagates through the ocean, and why wave height increases as it approaches the coast
• Describe the factors that influence coastal inundation
• Discuss the hazards associated with tsunamis
• Assess community risk
• Describe the components of an effective tsunami response plan that encompasses hazard mitigation strategies and disaster management tactics