You might see some intriguing activities in and around the Pacific Northwest, as well as on Bainbridge Island, during the week of June 12th. But don't be alarmed; this is only a drill. And it's a big one: planning for and responding to a 9.0 subduction zone earthquake and following 100-foot tsunami, which has been predicted for a long time.

Once every 200 to 500 years, a 9.0 magnitude Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake rips through the 700-mile CSZ fault line. In 1700, a large CSZ earthquake and tsunami struck. If you do some quick math, you'll discover that another one is due soon.Recent subduction zone fault earthquakes in Indonesia, Chile and Japan highlight the problems we will face in the next CSZ earthquake and tsunami.

For confronting these issues with confidence and skill, preparation is essential.

Cascadia Rising 2022 is how the region prepares for complex disasters by forming and testing a community-wide strategy.In the event of a disaster in the Cascadia subduction zone, effective coordination and integration of governments at all levels -cities, counties, state and federal agencies, the military, tribal nations, nongovernmental groups, and the business sector – will be critical.

Cascadia Rising 2022 is a four-day functional exercise scheduled for June 13-16, during which all levels of government and the private sector activate Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) / Emergency Coordination Centers (ECCs) to coordinate simulated field response operations throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The National Guard and the Department of Defense are also important partners.

The following are the training areas and dates for Cascadia Rising 2022:

• On Monday, June 13th, there will be a critical transportation tabletop exercise.
• Tuesday, June 14th: Transportation and Mass Care Services are Critical Crossover
• Wednesday, June 15: Tabletop Exercise for Mass Care Services
• Thursday, June 16: Discussions and evaluations following the action

In 2013, the first Cascadia seismic plan was released, which was tested during the Cascadia Rising 2016 (CR16) exercise. In 2017, the strategy was amended to account for power interruptions as well as lessons acquired from CR16. The plan's next update will include the lessons acquired through the Cascadia Rising 2022 ROC exercise.

"What we're doing has its roots in the first major Cascadia Rising exercise that we did six years ago," said Washington EMD Director Robert Ezelle.“We discovered the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure, such as transport, communications and energy. We realized how vital it is to have a large-scale health-care system. We learned about the importance of public health and people's medical requirements. So, as a result of that exercise, we've done a great deal of work at the federal, state, and local levels.

Additional information can be found by clicking on the following links:

https://mil.wa.gov/cascadia-rising

https://www.yachatsoregon.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/1344?fileID=3652

https://mil.wa.gov/news/state-federal-partners-launch-cascadia-rising-exercise