The New Yorker's Pulitzer prize-winning piece on the massive destruction expected from a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake understandably struck fear in the hearts of many Oregonians who immediately set to work stocking emergency kits. At least some of them did. For a while.

Then came the terrifying video from Multnomah County, showing how the Burnside Bridge could rumble, torque and collapse after an 8-plus magnitude quake. The destruction alone is devastating to watch - even if by animated simulation. But it's almost paralyzing to listen to the narration describing how bridge debris will block cars, emergency vehicles, trains and ships needed to bring supplies and evacuate victims.

It'd be easy to shove another recent state report into that corner in your brain where the darkest worries hang out. But despite its jarring numbers, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries' assessment released last week hits a few bright notes.

Editorial Agenda 2018

Press for a student-focused education system

Help defuse Oregon's ticking time bombs

Focus attention on the root causes of homelessness

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The Cascadia quake could level as many as 1,600 buildings and result in more than $80 billion in damages to structures across the tri-county area. In the worst-case scenario -- a daytime shake during a wet winter -- between 18,000 and 27,000 residents would likely be hurt or killed and a quarter-million others would be displaced for a long period of time.

That's a staggering statistic that's likely to directly touch us all, whether the victims are family, friends, neighbors or co-workers. Yet the numbers also show that potentially, 99 percent of the metro area's population will survive. As officials with the agency told various media outlets, the Cascadia could actually be "extremely survivable." The takeaway? Put in the time now to potentially improve how you and your family will get by after.

The information should help city and county leaders focus work preparing their communities for the Big One. It should fuel the urgency needed to address the alarming January audit by the Secretary of State's Office on the sad state of Oregon's Office of Emergency Management. The building where agency officials expect to gather and direct emergency responses has yet to be retrofitted to withstand a large earthquake.

Last week's report should also inspire Oregonians to act at home. Sure, it's great to spend thousands on securing homes to their foundations. Such an investment can increase the chance the home will remain habitable after a quake and reduce dangers for neighborhoods. And it's smart to continue setting aside water, canned foods and other emergency supplies, spreading out the cost over time.

Yet folks on the front lines of the Oregon's earthquake and tsunami preparedness recommend a few strategies that are free and worthy of tackling today.

First, sign up to receive emergency alerts on your mobile phone. Then, make a plan. If you're at home, where should everyone huddle until the shaking's over? When it's done, where will everyone meet up outside? If there are fires, explosions or other dangers at that meeting spot, where's another place to gather?

It seems simple enough, yet this can be the most important part of preparedness: steeling for the "psychological disaster" as Mercy Corps' Susan Romanski describes it.

Next, figure out where everyone meets if they're scattered at work or school, remembering the journey could take a while and it'll be tough to communicate your progress. Romanski and others suggest that families with children enlist as many as five neighbors or friends who live near school to check on their children in case of an emergency. And give those names to school officials. That's especially important for families who may live and work on differing sides of the Willamette River.

Of course it's scary to think about, especially for little ones. But having a plan can empower them. Mercy Corps' traveling presentations help families find ways to incorporate drills into their routine so they become regular and at best, rote:

When you think your kids are emotionally ready, schedule an earthquake date. At any time that day, children get to choose when to holler "quake" to launch the drill. Duck, cover and hold. Wait for an adult to say, "The ground's stopped shaking," and kids lead the way to the meeting spot. Once everyone's there, kids get to give the "all clear," which means there are no hazards visible on the path to the shed or other safe place the emergency kit is stored.

The drill can end there. Or, take a cue from the American Red Cross, whose "Camp Prepare!" program challenged families to pitch tents in the backyard to check how well-stocked their kits were.

No matter how far you go, at least start.

Many in the Portland area have. The city is ranked near the top nationwide for the number of formed Neighborhood Emergency Teams. Those are the folks who've volunteered for months of training to help their communities and save lives until first responders arrive.

It's time for the rest of us to start catching up.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

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