Two years, five stations spread across the north Pacific from the west Aleutians to Oregon and a sixth sited on the equator were established to intercept tsunamis generated off South America. To reduce the possibility that tsunami waves might sneak by, more buoys were added, but the budget limits the number that NOAA can afford. This is where detailed computer simulations become valuable. Combined with the buoy measurements, the simulations provide more accurate predictions to guide officials. Even the most reliable warning is ineffective if people do not respond appropriately.
Community education is perhaps the most important aspect of the national mitigation program.
Each state is identifies coordinators who provide information and guidance to community emergency managers during tsunami disasters. Interstate coordination is also crucial to public safety because U.S. citizens are highly mobile, and procedures must be compatible from state to state. Standard tsunami signs have already been put in place along many coastlines. Tsunami researchers and emergency response officials agree that future destructive tsunamis are inevitable and technology alone cannot save lives. Coastal communities need inundation maps that identify far in advance what areas are likely to be flooded so that they can lay out evacuation routes.