Pat Robertson Says 'Jump' - FEMA Says 'How High'

People in the Northwest might be more attuned to manifestations of the wrath of God than normal people. Volcanos, fault lines and the deceptively calm sea are all guns pointed at our head and sometimes it seems like the smallest slip-up on our part might activate the muscles in His holy trigger finger. Is this why we're so polite with one another? Smile, and maybe we can escape the cap of God for another day.

We're jumpy, jittery, we're quick to look over our shoulder. When Pat Robertson announced that we'll be smited (smote?) with storms and tsunami last week it sent us into a regional panic. Did you notice a certain fear in your fellow Seattleite's eyes this weekend? Were they glancing with uncertainty in the direction of Elliott Bay as if they expected a towering column of water to blot out Bainbridge at any moment? Were you? Let Seattlest put you at ease, or, at least, push that anxiety back to your subconcious where it resided until Mr. Roberston yanked it to the forefront with his words of doom. FEMA is on the case. Let it never be said that the federal emergency management boys are a few steps slow with aid when Pat Robertson damns an entire region.

Less than a week after Robertson told the 700 Club, "There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest," FEMA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, federal, state, local and Canadian partners bring us the tsunami drill "Pacific Peril 2006." This laundry list of agencies will meet in Oregon beginning tomorrow to run some anti-tsunami drills and talk about the potential waves and their consequences to the area.

"Experts agree that the likelihood of a massive earthquake and tsunami wave is very real, and speak in terms of not if, but when," according to Federal Aviation Administration Regional Administrator and Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator (RETCO) Douglas R. Murphy. "The exercise is designed to challenge participants with a high consequence scenario in order to better assess the effectiveness of existing response plans. Our critical infrastructure is vulnerable, and advance preparation is the key to a successful response."

Did you hear that? The man said, "a high consequence scenario." Nobody wants that.

This diagram indicates the seriousness of Seattle's peril, if Robertson and the "experts" and their "not if but when" talk don't have you convinced.