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Washington, D.C. -- Today Congressman Wu applauded the response of many Oregon coastal communities to Tuesday night's tsunami warning, and acknowledged the need for further resources for emergency planning and education.
"Oregon's response to Tuesday's tsunami warning reflected the hard work and preparation of many local law enforcement agencies, city and county officials, and community volunteers, along with state and federal agencies." said Congressman Wu. "While we have come a long way in our efforts, we can learn from Tuesday's experience to ensure we are fully prepared for the next emergency."
In the wake of the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Oregon's Office of Emergency Management, coordinated by Jay Wilson, has been working hard to ensure that the state's coastal communities are able to effectively respond to tsunami warnings in the future. Efforts have focused on community outreach and education networks that ensure readiness, and technical training in local communities.
In May of 2005, Congressman Wu was successful in his efforts to secure an additional $1.8 million for community-based mitigation programs that improve tsunami preparedness in at-risk areas of the United States such as the Oregon coast. Wu has long held that while increasing funding for tsunami detection hardware will protect those across the Pacific Ocean, mitigation programs, focusing on educating the public, are key to protecting Oregonians. "Tuesday's experience verifies my view that we get this done right here at home through community education and local warning systems," said Wu.
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