Evacuation planning and signage

In 2006 RCTWG team members began planning to identify areas that needed tsunami hazard and evacuation route signs. The group developed evacuation zone maps based on the North Coast relative tsunami hazard maps. As of January 2009, more than 400 signs have been installed in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, and sign installation is expected to be completed in Del Norte County in 2010.

TsunamiReady Program

TsunamiReady is a National Weather Service program that promotes tsunami planning and mitigation. RCTWG encourages and assists communities in the TsunamiReady application process. Crescent City was the first community in California to become recognized “TsunamiReady”. Two Humboldt County communities achieved TsunamiReady status in 2007.

Drills and response planning

In 2007, RCTWG helped the community of Samoa prepare for and conduct the first full-scale tsunami evacuation drill in California. Additional drills have been conducted in schools and other North Coast communities. In 2008, RCTWG members working with the State Office of Emergency Services planned and coordinated the first test of the tsunami warning communications system using actual (live) codes outside of Alaska. All three RCTWG counties will be included in 2009 testing. In 2006, Humboldt County participated in FEMA’s first ever tsunami response training exercise.