**Frequently Asked Questions About TsunamiReady**

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| **What is TsunamiReady?**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   A National Weather Service (NWS) initiative that promotes tsunami |
|     hazard preparedness as an active collaboration among Federal,     |
|     state and local emergency management agencies, the public, and    |
|     the NWS tsunami warning system. This collaboration supports       |
|     better and more consistent tsunami awareness and mitigation       |
|     efforts among communities at risk. The TsunamiReady program is    |
|     based on the NWS StormReady model.                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   The main goal is improvement of public safety during tsunami      |
|     emergencies.                                                      |
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| **Who is TsunamiReady For?**                                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   Coastal communities which are at risk of a tsunami.               |
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| **What makes a community TsunamiReady?**                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   Establishing an Emergency Operations Center.                      |
|                                                                       |
| -   Ability to disseminate a Tsunami Warning (sirens, local media).   |
|                                                                       |
| -   Tsunami Hazard Plan.                                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   Community awareness program.                                      |
|                                                                       |
| -   Multiple ways to receive NWS tsunami warnings.                    |
|                                                                       |
|     1.  Emergency Management Weather Information Network (EMWIN)      |
|         receiver                                                      |
|                                                                       |
|     2.  NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)                                      |
|                                                                       |
|     3.  NOAA Weather Wire drop                                        |
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| **Can a community become TsunamiReady without being StormReady?**     |
|                                                                       |
| -   Since the new combined Storm/TsunamiReady application form was    |
|     issued in 2002, communities being certified for TsunamiReady also |
|     must pass all StormReady criteria.                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   StormReady requires access to local weather monitoring equipment  |
|     (Guideline 3) and some furher administrative requirements         |
|     (Guideline 6). Other than that, the requirements are the same.    |
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| **Why do we need a TsunamiReady Program?**                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   Create minimum standard guidelines for a community to follow for  |
|     adequate tsunami readiness.                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   Encourage consistency in educational materials and response among |
|     communities and states.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   Recognize communities that have adopted TsunamiReady guidelines.  |
|                                                                       |
| -   Increase public awareness and understanding of the tsunami        |
|     hazard.                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   Improve community pre-planning for tsunami disasters.             |
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| **Who decides if a community is TsunamiReady?**                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   Oversight of the TsunamiReady program is accomplished within the  |
|     NWS by the National StormReady Board (the Board).                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   The Board is responsible for changes in community recognition     |
|     criteria. Proposed criteria changes shall be directed to the      |
|     Board for action.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   Local boards decide if a community has attained                   |
|     Storm/TsunamiReady status. The local board consists of the local  |
|     NWS office meteorologist-in-charge and warning coordintation      |
|     meteorologist, the Tsunami Warning Center geophysicist-in-charge, |
|     a representative from the state department of emergency services, |
|     and a representative from the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation  |
|     Program.                                                          |
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| **Who do we contact to become a TsunamiReady Community?**             |
|                                                                       |
| -   Communities in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia,  |
|     and Alaska contact the West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center |
|     in Palmer, AK. Communities in Hawaii contact the Pacific Tsunami  |
|     Warning Center.                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   Or, contact your local National Weather Service Forecast Office.  |
|                                                                       |
| -   The web site is <http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/tready.htm> .         |
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| **Does it cost anything to become a TsunamiReady Community?**         |
|                                                                       |
| -   There may be costs involved with upgrading the reception and      |
|     dissemination infrastructure of the local community to meet the   |
|     criteria.                                                         |
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| **Do we get money for being TsunamiReady?**                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   The National Weather Service does not provide funding to          |
|     communities. However, participating in this program would improve |
|     positioning to receive State and Federal funds. It is the         |
|     community's responsibility to obtain funding.                     |
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| **What are the benefits for being TsunamiReady?**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   Community is more prepared to SAVE LIVES.                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   Increase contacts with experts (emergency managers, researchers,  |
|     NWS personnel).                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   Identify community readiness resource needs.                      |
|                                                                       |
| -   Enhances core infrastructure to support other community concerns. |
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| **Where can I get more information on TsunamiReady?**                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   The West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center's web page:        |
|     [http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov](http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/).        |
|                                                                       |
| -   The Warning Coordination Meteorologist at your local National     |
|     Weather Service office.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   The National Weather Service's StormReady Program web page:       |
|     <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/stormready>.                             |
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