The following is a release from the city of Kirkland:

The Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami is one of the most complex disaster scenarios that emergency management and public safety officials face in the Pacific Northwest. Effective and efficient response operations to this predicted disaster will hinge on the coordination and integration of local, state and federal governments. In June 2016, several governments, including the city of Kirkland’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), will be participating in a disaster exercise known as Cascadia Rising. This four-day exercise will test local, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations’ response to a catastrophic earthquake.

Kirkland OEM and Kirkland CERT need help in developing scenarios of events that the city’s emergency management team would need to respond to during Cascadia Rising. Attend a different kind of brainstorming session from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 at City Hall, City Council Chambers, 123 Fifth Avenue. Meet neighbors; have fun dreaming up possible disaster response challenges that Kirkland would likely face following a devastating disaster. Lunch is included.

To register for this event or to sign up to receive updates and notifications, go to www.KirklandCERT.com and click the “Cascadia Rising” tab. For more information, contact Christina Brugman, Kirkland CERT at cbrugman@kirklandwa.gov.