Seismologists predict that a magnitude-9 earthquake could strike the Pacific Northwest within the next 50 years. In a Dec. 19 article, Seattle Weekly revealed the ways in which King County officials and local residents are preparing for the large Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Due to the area’s isolation, Vashon Island residents have adopted a self-reliant mindset that has positioned the small community as a national model for disaster preparedness.

mhellmann@seattleweekly.com