Cascadia Subduction Zone

Welcome to Surviving Cascadia — a resource dedicated to helping communities better understand Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes and tsunamis.

Cascadia megathrust earthquakes are among the most powerful on Earth. When the next one occurs, it is expected to be the most significant disaster the United States has faced. Emergency response systems will be overwhelmed. Individuals, families, and neighborhoods will need to be self-sufficient for at least the first two weeks following the event—and longer for those living along the coast.

My name is Bridget Good. I work as a mitigation program analyst with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM). Of note, this website is not affiliated with OEM and reflects my personal work and interests.

Preparing to be “two-weeks ready” requires time, effort, and resources. Individuals, families, and communities are more likely to commit to preparedness when they have a clear, realistic understanding of what lies ahead.

The good news is that many excellent, reputable resources about Cascadia already exist. Each fact provided by those sources is like a puzzle piece. Unfortunately, many of those resources—those puzzle pieces—are scattered, making it hard to get a comprehensive view of the finished puzzle.

This website is a collection of puzzle pieces from reputable sources around the world. By consolidating some of the information here, I aim to provide a reliable resource that reduces the time community members must spend researching what to expect during the next major earthquake and tsunami—so they can spend more time preparing for and Surviving Cascadia.

This puzzle will never be complete. and I continue to research, learn, and have collaborative conversations (asking my many, many questions). I also work full-time, have three kiddos and two dogs… so this is a side project I get to when I have a free minute. For those reasons, Surviving Cascadia is a bit of a living document. I hope you’ll check back often. I’m so glad you’re here!

I hope you’ll check back often. I’m glad you’re here.

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In my professional role, I regularly engage in earthquake- and tsunami-related research, planning, and exercises, and I attend regional and national events focused on seismic risk and resilience.

Having recently co-authored Oregon’s Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Structure Guidance document (currently under review), I’ve enjoyed reading new-to-me tsunami resources. I serve as a backup member of the Business Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program Review Committee and help local jurisdictions manage federal hazard mitigation assistance (HMA) grants—several of which focus on seismic retrofits and earthquake risk reduction.

Through this work, I am continually exposed to new research, evolving guidance, and practical lessons related to the Cascadia Subduction Zone. I am passionate about this topic, and Surviving Cascadia is my way of sharing what I learn with a broader audience.

My 4 most recent work events are shown in this slideshow. A brief write-up on the CRESCENT event is available on page 6 of the August 2025 TsuInfo Issue and on CascadiaQuakes.org.