What price ‘living the life?’
It’s kind of ironic that we humans love to live in places where natural disasters are most likely to happen.
— New Orleans hurricanes: check.
— Los Angeles earthquake: check.
— Miami sea level rise: check.
— Midwest tornadoes: check.
— Southwest drought: check.
So it’s with some sadness and trepidation that one of my favorite home-state cities, Portland, OR, [link url=”http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/08/a-major-earthquake-in-the-pacific-northwest-just-got-more-likely/495407/” title=”has a 20 percent chance of being destroyed by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in the next 50 years”].
As someone who has spent the past few years watching Kansas tornadoes go by, and looking forward to a blissful retirement back home in Oregon, where there are only two seasons–the foggy season and the rainy season–it’s disconcerting to think that I might have to be dodging falling trees and buildings as well. What’s a retiree to do?
I’m counting on you, Portland EDM professionals,
Please take the following actions:
- Improve building codes as necessary so that any building built in the future will stand up to an earthquake.
- Retrofit my retirement home so that it will accomplish the same. While you’re at it, retrofit all the other buildings as well.
- Make sure hospitals are logistically prepared for a surge response to an earthquake.
- Make sure shelter agreements are in place for folks whose buildings you’re not able to retrofit in time.
- Make sure the public knows about the threat, and help them plan and mitigate so their families are protected.
Thanks! I’ll feel a lot better once you get this all done.
Oh, and by the way …
As you’ve probably figured out, I’m not just talking to you, Portland. I’m talking to all of you, EDM Professionals, and all who are trusted by the public to make these things happen. Make them happen.
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