Earthquake Preparedness & Response - Oregon

The Pacific Northwest is at significant risk of a major earthquake due to the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This fault line runs from Northern California to Canada, spanning Oregon. This region has historically experienced several large-scale earthquakes. Scientific predictions suggest a 37% chance of a 7.1+ earthquake within the next 50 years. Eugene, Oregon is located in the middle of this zone, which means the state faces serious threats of structural damage, impacts on utilities and public safety, and major transportation disruptions. Citywide preparedness and response capabilities are critical to mitigating the disastrous capabilities of this earthquake.

Geospatial technologies play a major role in both planning and responding to natural disasters, such as earthquakes. In the planning phase, the use of GIS tools allows for the identification of high-risk areas, resource allocation points, and infrastructure information. In the response phase, real-time mapping tools facilitate situational awareness, crowd-sourced updated data, and resource deployment. These technologies help connect disaster predictions and effective emergency responses, which will enhance Eugene's resilience and preparedness for earthquakes.

I created a planning app that uses authoritative data, such as the Oregon Health Authority for hospital locations. This ensures the accuracy of critical information, while non-authoritative sources, such as open-source census data, supplement broader analysis. My planning app includes the following layers: Hospital Facilities to identify healthcare access points, Oregon Highways to determine evacuation and transportation routes, and Census Tracts with Earthquake Frequency to assess population density and prioritize areas with the highest risk. Spatial analytics like proximity analysis are used to identify gaps in healthcare access relative to population density in high-risk areas, preparing for an earthquake.

For accurate community disaster assessment, I created a mobile response app with the above survey questions. This response app allows users to report disaster conditions through survey questions, identify critical needs, such as medical services or police assistance, and upload pictures of damages for visual validation. Representing a contributory crisis response platform leverages real-time data submitted by affected individuals. The app is designed to prioritize simplicity and geolocation capabilities, which aids in the need for rapid data collection brought on by the speed of earthquakes. The outputs include visualizations representing real-time reported conditions and resource requests, such as the following map.

Apps like the ones that I created are very useful in disaster planning and response. By identifying high-risk areas, resource needs, and evacuation routes, the planning app I created supports long-term preparation for affected cities, such as Eugene. Utilizing spatial analytics can optimize the planning process, especially with emergency route planning. The response app that I created provides real-time situational awareness which enables emergency services to prioritize the submitted geotagged reports. When paired together, these apps offer a comprehensive geospatial solution to prepare and respond to earthquake impacts.