Washington State Earthquake Prep: The One Tool Missing from Most Local Kits

I had to check my own closets to see if I have everything needed to survive the next big earthquake in Washington. Oh, you didn't hear? We're expecting another major earthquake any day now. Well, I should be more specific, any day now between today and the next few hundred years!

A Larger Earthquake Is Being Predicted for Washington State

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network tells us to “be prepared” for the next big deep earthquake, although in 2001, they predicted it will happen between now and the next few hundred years.

How to Prepare for a Deep Earthquake

It’s probably a good idea to get your earthquake emergency prep ready now.

• Get a few packs of those emergency power cords to keep your phone charged
• Have each of the following six things stored in your home or garage: water, food, first aid, clothing, bedding

But there's one very important thing we need to add to this list, and it's something even I don't have!

👇🏼Keep Scrolling to See the One Earthquake Survival Tool Most WA Residents Lack👇🏼

Why Does Washington State Get So Many Small Earthquakes?

Blame it on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, the tectonic plates located off the coast of Washington. Because there are 3 types of earthquakes, namely volcanic, tectonic, and “collapse”, our state experiences a little bit of all three. This is a rare occurrence.

I grew up in Tennessee, so we didn’t have earthquake drills, we had tornado drills. Out here in Washington, school kids had earthquake drills. (Remember the “drop, cover, and hold on” method?)

Yesterday, on Monday, April 13th, there was a 1.8 explosion reported in West Richland at 10:22 p.m. We can track earthquakes in real time, which is how we know that as of today (April 14th), there has been one West Coast earthquake in Washington (a 1.7 earthquake reported in Morton) and 22 in California.

Thankfully, none of yesterday’s earthquakes were catastrophic or reached above a 3.0 on the Richter scale. As of the time of this writing, no earthquakes have been tracked today in Oregon.

The Last Big Earthquake in Washington State

The Nisqually River Delta experienced the strongest deep earthquake in recent Washington State history. It registered a 6.8 on the Richter scale in 2001, as Biology Insights reports. It was felt in Olympia and as far as Seattle.

Twin Buckets: The Critical Item We'll Need During a Major Earthquake

The one critical thing missing from most Washington residents' earthquake prep kits are "twin buckets": One bucket for liquid human waste and the other for when you have to go "Number 2." During a major earthquake, water mains and sewage systems could be damaged or you might not be able to flush your toilets!

Having these two buckets will save the day for when you and your family have to use the bathroom! If you don't have buckets, you can use plastic garbage bags

View more twin bucket info on IslandCountyWA.gov's website.