New Tsunami Warning System Would Cost Peanuts...

Oregon Agency explores innovative warning system…

Oregon officials say they've come up with an innovative and cost effective way to provide early warning in the event of a possible tsunami.
200 -- "We noticed in the 2004 Sumatran earthquake and tsunami on the coast of Thailand elephants headed to high ground even though there was no earthquake felt in the area and a short time later a tsunami roared into the coast."

James Roddy is the Earth Sciences Information Officer for the Oregon Department of Geology. He and emergency managers heard about this and wondered if pachyderms wouldn't make a more efficient and sustainable tsunami warning system.
201 -- "We heard there were zoos in the mid west that were having financial difficulty and needed to get rid of some of their larger displays. We contacted them and sure enough, it looked like we could get some elephants here at the coast."

Where to postion the elephants was a relatively simple matter…
202 -- "Well, we're going to begin staging them around the Newport and Lincoln City areas, at the state parks because there's plenty of land there."

Roddy said in addition to the land, there were already interpretive rangers at those locations who could help in educating the public about the purpose of the elephants. The cost of acquiring and transporting the beasts will be paid out of a federal stimulus grant and the ongoing maintenance will be self funded. Roddy said the elephant dung is quite rich and sought after by landscapers. He estimated that the first elephants were intended to arrive today…
203 -- "You know, this sounds like a pretty far fetched idea… and it is. And it's kind of a silly story but it actually has a very important message."

That message… in all seriousness… is that April is Earthquake and Tsunami Awareness month. Roddy says the story of the elephants heading for high ground to avoid the tsunami is true. What's also true is that many residents and visitors to the coast still don't grasp the depth of the risk.
204 -- "We try to come up with ways to engage people, to get people's attention, make them focus on the fact that we have the potential for these great earthquakes and tsunamis at the Oregon Coast and get prepared. Put a plan together, put a kit together, know where high ground is… be prepared."

For more information, got to kcst.com and click on the disaster emergency information link.