Nisqually quake's 10th anniversary reminds of need for disaster planning

Disasters come in many forms. They can be caused by forces of nature, by "normal accidents" associated with technology, or by human beings. All present problems — and opportunities to learn.

"Dangerous ground," The Times Sunday headline on Feb. 27, certainly grabs your attention, focusing on the "hard lessons learned since the 2001 Nisqually quake." A sidebar story describes the "agonizingly slow" progress in shoring up residential and commercial structures as well as public safety facilities such as hospitals.

We should use this 10th anniversary of the Nisqually earthquake as a reminder that disasters are community problems. No single agency or organization, regardless of authority, is capable of controlling or even managing every single element of the complex systems that comprise our community.

Reviewing our experiences with other past disasters can be particularly illuminating as well. On Dec. 16, 2006, a devastating storm blew through the Puget Sound region. Slashing rain was propelled by winds comparable to a tropical storm on the verge of becoming a hurricane.

More than 1 million people lost power. Several hundred thousand were without power for more than a day, and about 100,000 had to go without power for a week. Nearly 80 people were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning that resulted from improper heating and indoor cooking. Eight of those victims died.

The windstorm exposed some drastic weaknesses in our ability to respond to a disaster. These weaknesses are particularly problematic for our most vulnerable neighbors, including the frail elderly, those who are medically dependent, persons with hearing or sight impairments, physically disabled persons, and persons with limited English, among others.

Leaders of public, private, and nonprofit organizations should accelerate disaster planning and communication efforts regarding how the most vulnerable individuals will be prepared to cope with disasters. These leaders would benefit from reviewing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for action presented by the post-windstorm communitywide task force .

But our preparation must be about much more than readiness to react in the short term. There also are long-term policy issues. In the just-issued paperback edition of "The Next Catastrophe: Reducing Our Vulnerabilities to Natural, Industrial, and Terrorist Disasters," Charles Perrow argues persuasively that potential disaster targets ought to be reduced in size. The author of "Normal Accidents," the technology risk classic, worries that too many people live in high-risk locations. He also is concerned about transportation, telecommunications, chemicals, and power systems.

Government programs such as flood insurance and disaster relief may address some of the people concerns. However, when it comes to physical infrastructure, nearly all of those systems are owned and operated by the private sector. Consequently, government regulation and market discipline will be key tools. And considering the turbulence engulfing our electoral system, we must depend now more than ever on vigilant news media to inform and engage citizens.

Beyond the physical infrastructure, then, we also will need the strong civic infrastructure of the Puget Sound region to prepare for the inevitable disasters to come. People acting through nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations and other community-based programs such as "block watch" groups are indispensable, particularly when it comes to the most vulnerable members of our community.

"Dangerous ground" can be a catalyst for energizing the civic infrastructure that may, in the end, make all the difference.