Higher Vantages · Pierce County, WADisaster preparedness for Pierce County households

Plan and pack for the hazards we actually face here: earthquakes, including a Cascadia Subduction Zone quake; Mount Rainier mudflows (lahars); winter storms and power outages; and wildfire smoke.

Read the Preparedness Guide See recommended gear Browse the Tools Catalog

The local risks we plan for

Every household’s plan is different, but around Pierce County the same four hazards keep coming up.

Earthquakes, including Cascadia

Western Washington sits above the Cascadia Subduction Zone and shallower local faults. A major quake could cut power, water, and roads for days or longer, and help may take time to arrive.

Mount Rainier mudflows (lahars)

Mount Rainier is an active volcano. Lahars are fast-moving mudflows that follow river valleys. If you live, work, or go to school in a valley, know your way to high ground on foot.

Winter storms and power outages

Wind, snow, and ice bring down trees and power lines and close roads. Plan for light, heat, food, and a way to charge a phone when the power is out for days.

Wildfire smoke

Smoke from wildfires can settle over the South Sound in summer and fall. Keep well-fitted N95 respirators with your supplies and a plan for staying indoors on smoky days.

Red emergency go-bag backpack on a wooden floor with bottled water, a first aid pouch, a flashlight, batteries, canned food, and a small radio
Preparedness Guide

A preparedness guide written for Cascadia country

Most preparedness advice is written for anywhere. Ours starts with Pierce County: a Cascadia earthquake that could leave neighborhoods on their own for days, and Mount Rainier lahars that call for leaving a valley fast.

The guide walks through a 72-hour kit checklist, water storage, radios and backup power, first aid, and a family evacuation plan. Start with three days of supplies, then work toward two weeks.

Start with the basics

  • One gallon of water per person per day, at least three days
  • Shelf-stable food that does not need a full kitchen
  • Flashlights, batteries, and a charged power bank
  • A battery or hand-crank radio
  • First aid supplies and copies of prescriptions
  • Copies of IDs, insurance, and key contacts on paper
  • A meeting place if the house is not usable
Read the Preparedness Guide
Black hand-crank emergency radio with a telescoping antenna on a dark workbench
Recommended gear supplier

Survival Frog: the gear supplier we recommend

When people ask where to get a ready-made kit, a hand-crank radio, lights, or dry bags, we point them to Survival Frog, an online store for emergency and outdoor gear.

Our Survival Frog page lists the categories we would start with and what to look for in each, matched to the hazards above, so you can choose what fits your household.

Higher Vantages is independent. Some links on this site may be affiliate links, and Higher Vantages may earn a commission on purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we’d use ourselves. Survival Frog sets its own prices and stock.

See the Survival Frog gear we recommend
Tools Catalog · Distributor

Professional hand tools, with your brand on them

Higher Vantages is the distributor for a catalog of professional hand tools. Order any tool unbranded or with your company’s logo.

The catalog covers torque wrenches, sockets, ratchet wrenches, screwdrivers, VDE tools, bits, hex keys, and stainless steel tools, with item numbers and specs for each. Request a quote by email.

Browse the Tools Catalog