Auburn emergency manager urges residents to prepare for wetter, windier winter; CERT classes and drills ramp up
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Summary
Auburn27s emergency manager, Matthew Kolpitz, told listeners that a weak La NiF1a signal this winter could bring wetter, colder conditions and more windstorms, and he urged residents to assemble two-week supplies, keep a go-bag ready and participate in community preparedness programs such as CERT and the Great ShakeOut drill.
Matthew Kolpitz, the city of Auburn27s emergency manager, used the city27s Auburn on Main podcast to urge residents and businesses to prepare for a potentially wetter, colder winter and an elevated risk of windstorms and power outages.
Kolpitz said meteorologists are seeing a weak La NiF1a signal that tends to bring wetter, colder conditions. "Late October through December is a good good time for us to be prepare for windstorms and the accompanying issues like power outages," he said, stressing that the Pacific-influenced weather patterns make precise forecasting harder than in other U.S. regions.
The nut of Kolpitz27s preparedness guidance was practical: assemble both a short "go" kit for immediate evacuation and a larger two-week supply of water, calorie-dense nonperishables and medical items. "Get your go bag ready," Kolpitz advised, adding that families should rotate food and water into everyday use so supplies stay fresh.
Kolpitz recommended basic items (bottled water, peanut butter or other calorie-dense foods, batteries, flashlights and any required medications), a communications plan with an out-of-area contact, and preparedness for extended outages. He said backup power (batteries or a generator) can help some households but warned that not all homes can safely support generators.
The episode covered earthquake risk and drills as well. Kolpitz reviewed the Great ShakeOut exercise and emphasized Drop, Cover and Hold On (or Lock, Cover and Hold for people using mobility devices), then urged households to identify an evacuation meeting place. He noted regional seismic risks including the Cascadia Subduction Zone and local liquefaction vulnerability on Auburn27s Valley Floor, and said apps and early-warning systems can sometimes provide seconds to minutes of notice in certain events.
Kolpitz described several ongoing community programs: the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class teaches first aid, basic triage and light search-and-rescue; it is free and participants receive a hard hat, vest and starter supplies. The city graduated a fall CERT class and expects to open spring applications in February; the program has more than 800 alumni the office plans to re-engage for community events and exercises.
He also discussed the Auburn Area Emergency Communications Team (ham radio) used to bolster communications during incidents and noted that volunteers can be registered disaster volunteers when operating under emergency management direction.
Kolpitz encouraged residents with questions or who want help assembling kits to contact the emergency management office and to consult the city27s preparedness resources at auburnwa.gov/disaster. He said the office is hiring an emergency management coordinator to help complete plan updates and community outreach.
Why it matters: municipal emergency management focuses on both likely day-to-day hazards, such as windstorms and power outages, and lower-probability, high-consequence events such as a major Cascadia earthquake. The guidance given emphasizes low-cost, practical steps residents can take to lower risk and shorten recovery time should a disruption occur.
The city also stressed training and community capacity-building: CERT classes, volunteer communications teams, and participation in drills aim to create "muscle memory" so individuals and response organizations can act more effectively during an actual incident.
