San Mateo County emergency officials assess response to tsunami warning
San Mateo County emergency officials are developing a new method of communication to reduce misinformation and confusion during earthquake and tsunami threats, following a massive earthquake that struck near Humboldt County in early December.
Coastal communities are still anxious after a 7.0 earthquake on Dec. 5 triggered a tsunami warning from Oregon to Santa Cruz.
Half Moon Bay resident Sue Hawley said living through the ordeal made it clear just how vulnerable she is living next to the water
"Not only is it difficult for folks to get out in an emergency, but it's really going to be difficult for emergency vehicles and ambulances and fire and all of that to get in," Hawley said.
Hawley's concerns are a mirror for other people living in District 3 in San Mateo County. The area is right on the coastline and filled with narrow, curvy roads that can be difficult to navigate in emergency situations.
"Besides the tsunamis, we have fire and we're in an earthquake area," Hawley said. "So there's all kinds of things that we would need to be able to get out safely and have first responders get in efficiently."
Emergency officials said the response to the tsunami warning was poorly executed with little or no information reaching some residents along high risk areas.
In a meeting Wednesday meant to improve the county's response, Supervisor Ray Mueller said officials are working to streamline communication between residents and emergency teams--starting with information about what communities are most at risk.
"The state's maps crashed, and so people were trying to go to the state site to find out where they were in relationship to the hazard, and the site was down," Mueller told CBS News Bay Area. "We're really, as a county, trying to make sure that that doesn't happen again."
The San Mateo County Emergency Management team is developing a map that shows people exactly what their risk is and where to evacuate.
For instance, people in El Granada, a low lying area, would see exactly how far inland they'd need to walk to avoid tsunami waves.
Cynthia Sherrill, a member of the Coast Side Fire Protection Board, says having that information is key in any emergency situation.
"Just go inland and move upward until you're just above where the tsunami zone eastern edge is, and that's varies all over the coast side because of some areas like this are right on the water," Sherrill said.
The head of the San Mateo Emergency Management team says the risk map will be complete within the next few weeks. Mueller said he hopes the new communication strategy helps residents better prepare.