Malibu Disaster Preparedness: Don't Surf A Tsunami
Robert Paul Reyes
November 01, 2005
Malibu, an exclusive California beachfront community, has published tsunami safety brochures that warn residents, in capital letters, that they should never try to surf a tsunami.
California is earthquake country, however a tsunami has never hit the Malibu area.
Malibu's emergency preparedness director defended his warning by saying it was prudent to address all possibilities. In that case, he might as well also warn residents how to prepare for Armageddon. "CITIZENS OF MALIBU: IF YOU HEAR THE APPROACHING HOOFBEATS OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE, SAY YOUR PRAYERS TO THE DIETY OF YOUR CHOICE."
If a surfer sees a wave that's 100 feet tall approaching the coast, I doubt that he will immediately start waxing his surfboard. Everyone in his or her right mind will immediately head for higher ground.
This idiocy is another example of "only in California", I seriously doubt that the mayor of any small town in Kansas would print a pamphlet warning his constituents: "DON'T TRY TO HITCH A RIDE ON A TORNADO."
The wealthy residents of Malibu have mudslides and earthquakes to obsess about, they don't need to worry about tsunamis.
I live in Virginia, and I don't have to worry about earthquakes, hurricanes or tsunamis, but occasionally we suffer heavy snow and ice storms. But I'm confident that the mayor of my small city will never issue this warning: "CITIZENS OF LYNCHBURG, DO NOT GO SKINNY DIPPING WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING."
The moral of this simple news story: YOU DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING, AND YOU DON'T NEED A MALIBU IDIOT TO WARN YOU NOT TO SURF A TSUNAMI.
California is earthquake country, however a tsunami has never hit the Malibu area.
Malibu's emergency preparedness director defended his warning by saying it was prudent to address all possibilities. In that case, he might as well also warn residents how to prepare for Armageddon. "CITIZENS OF MALIBU: IF YOU HEAR THE APPROACHING HOOFBEATS OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE, SAY YOUR PRAYERS TO THE DIETY OF YOUR CHOICE."
If a surfer sees a wave that's 100 feet tall approaching the coast, I doubt that he will immediately start waxing his surfboard. Everyone in his or her right mind will immediately head for higher ground.
This idiocy is another example of "only in California", I seriously doubt that the mayor of any small town in Kansas would print a pamphlet warning his constituents: "DON'T TRY TO HITCH A RIDE ON A TORNADO."
The wealthy residents of Malibu have mudslides and earthquakes to obsess about, they don't need to worry about tsunamis.
I live in Virginia, and I don't have to worry about earthquakes, hurricanes or tsunamis, but occasionally we suffer heavy snow and ice storms. But I'm confident that the mayor of my small city will never issue this warning: "CITIZENS OF LYNCHBURG, DO NOT GO SKINNY DIPPING WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING."
The moral of this simple news story: YOU DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING, AND YOU DON'T NEED A MALIBU IDIOT TO WARN YOU NOT TO SURF A TSUNAMI.
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