Nancy McCarthy’s column in the Aug. 7 issue of the Seaside Signal dealt with The New Yorker article on the potential impact of a Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. She poses the question, “Will The New Yorker story make any difference in our urgency to prepare for this event?” To be frank with regard to local residents, their reaction to anything is the same, “I don’t pay much attention to anything besides going to work and watching my television programs.” Many, of course, know a little something about this issue, but find it difficult to discuss. It is much easier to blame the government, politicians and big business than to actually get involved in making their community safer.

The question regarding out-of-towners visiting our area being advised by the article’s author, to stay outside the tsunami zone is considerably more interesting. Seaside, in its vacation rental program, requires property owners to post evacuation instructions. I am not aware of hotels having any such requirement. The hotels appear to be primarily owned by persons from out-of-town and there are no evacuation instructions except at Trendwest. Certainly, most of the staff at these hotels has little awareness of the problem, much less what to do for the guests. During the summer, there are more than 6,000 overnight visitors with virtually no chance of reaching high ground. The six-hour power outage during Fourth of July created virtual chaos. An addition to the convention center combining much needed convention exhibit space, visitor parking and an emergency evacuation center sits in limbo as city government argues about pot, panhandlers and spending several million dollars on improving a street which virtually carries no traffic. The Plan B proposal for a new school that would cost each resident the price of a single cigarette per day also sits in limbo with the school board explaining that they “are powerless to act” because their $128 million proposal was turned down by voters.

Local voters should ask these officials to step aside and elect leaders who will actually do things. Local papers should furnish the community accurate complete information, not just retell what local leaders want its community to hear.

John Dunzer

Seaside