Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise

Have you ever wondered how you can help your community in the aftermath of a natural disaster? Join us on Sunday April 24th as we practice using cargo bikes, bike trailers, ebikes, and bikes with bags and baskets to provide emergency support to the community in the aftermath of a 7.5 earthquake on the Seattle Fault Zone!

This volunteer event mixes a cargo bike scavenger hunt ride with educational activities along the route that will get you prepared to pedal (safely) into response action after a major earthquake!

Route: Choose your own route from the start to end points including stopping by the checkpoints for fun colleges that will teach you a few skills along the way!

The Start and End points are 8.5 to 10 miles away from each other by bike depending on the route that you take.

Pace and time commitment: Ride at any pace that you feel comfortable with. You will be navigating using a paper map, so we encourage riders to ride slow enough to navigate safely.

We estimate that the ride will take around 3 hours to complete including the stops at the checkpoints.

Ride solo or as a group: Ride solo, bring a group, or join a group at the starting point.

How to participate: Click on the “Click here to Register” button at the bottom of page

What is a Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise and is it a Disaster Relief Trial?:

A Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise is a ride that is designed to simulate many of the challenges cyclists will face when using their bikes to provide support for their communities in the aftermath of a major natural disaster. Types of support that cyclists will most likely provide include, transporting food, medicine, and water from central aid stations to smaller neighborhood hubs, survey and report on damage and local community aid needs, transport messages and packages from community hub to community hub during times in which electronic communications are unavailable, and much more! Currently we are not calling these events due to some imcombatabilies between how we will be organizing these events and the current Disaster Relief Trial requirements. We greatly respect all of the work that the original Disaster Relief Trial organizers have done and we will continue to work with the original organizers as best we can to hopefully call these events Disaster Relief Trials in the future.

This Event’s Scenario

Three days ago a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on the Seattle Fault wreaked havoc on Seattle, including the West Seattle peninsula, destroying many roads, highways, rail lines, docks, buildings, airport runways, and it has affected the power grid and communications  Much of the Seattle area is completely cut off from the rest of the state and the strong and continuing aftershocks are hindering aid from from entering the region. Within West Seattle and White Center, many buildings have crumbled and trees have fallen into the streets, blocking access for cars and trucks. Landslides have fallen from steep slopes, covering some roads.  Elsewhere in West Seattle fault scarps  have formed causing otherwise clear roads to sag and become offset or pockmarked, threatening any car, truck, or even motorcycle driving through. On these roads only a narrow sliver of road on the edge may be stable enough to travel on.

Fortunately,  makeshift communications networks start to form, first using bike messengers and radios so you and the other riders in your area hear about a critical load of medicine, food, and other supplies that must be delivered to an emergency aid station in White Center before sunset. With the roads impassable to cars and trucks, helicopters stretched thin, and area fuel supplies running empty, it’s up to your wheels, your legs, and your fellow cyclists to get these supplies to the people who need it most!

The Ride

Meet at the aid station that will be setup at the northernmost tip of Harbor Ave Vista Point at 1:30pm. There, we will hand out the disaster modified maps, give you instructions on what to do once you get to the checkpoints, and answer any questions you have. Then, we will help you load up the supplies (see supply list below) that need to be transported and it will be up to you and your fellow riders to navigate to the first two checkpoints and then to the finish line at the White Center Bicycle Playground.

Participant Orientation:

Attending a pre-event orientation is not required as we will have organizers at the start and finish to explain things and answer any questions. We’ll also have a Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise organizer who will be available during the event over the phone in case you run into any non-exercise related issues on the ride.

Watch the recording of the Virtual Knowledge Session that we held on the 20th on YouTube -

The Challenges

Navigate with the Disaster Modified Map

Every rider will get a road map and topographic map of West Seattle and White Center that we have modified to show roads that have been wiped out and other areas that have become impassable. This map will show you the 4 checkpoints. Also, we’ll have information for you on the different ways that a major earthquake could reshape the built environment in West Seattle and White Center.

Checkpoints

On your ride from Alki to White Center, you will have to check in at two designated Little Free Pantries. At each pantry, you will be given an extra challenge. Challenges will involve activities such as documenting roadway conditions and impediments for other responders to use and staying safe, navigating around them, searching for and identifying people in distress, riding between obstacles, and much more!

Transporting delicate medicine and medical equipment

Some of the supplies that you will be transporting on your bike will deliberately be delicate in order to simulate medicine and medical equipment.

The Points

Our current plan is to assign points for

• Starting the ride with a basic bike repair kit and first aid kit
• Riding an overall route with the lowest maximum grade
• Completing the ride not using a smartphone or gps
• Checkpoints ridden to (maximum of 2)
• Checkpoint challenges completed (maximum of 4)
• Every item of medicine / medical equipment
• Best bike lights
• Best costume

Note: You are not seeing “fastest rider” on the list of points. This is because we want to make these Bicycle Disaster Response Exercises as inclusive as we can for riders of a range of physical abilities and for both  ebikes and regular bikes.

We are still working out the points system, so the details below might change. One you register, we’ll keep you up to date!

What you’ll need

You’ll need a bike, helmet, basic bike repair kit, and smartphone (some of the challenges may require documenting roadway conditions or taking photos). You will also need some way of recording and sharing the route that you ride. This can be any smartphone app, bike computer, or wearable device.

If you don’t have a cargo bike or a utility bike trailer,we can lend you a bike trailer to use during the event. Just let us know when registering.

Recommended supply list

These items aren’t required, but they will definitely be helpful to have at this event and during an actual disaster response ride.

• Expanded bike repair kit that included extra patch kits, schrader to presta adapter (or pump that can handle both), chain breaker tool, pliers, adjustable wrench.
• Battery pack and charger for your phone
• Extra water (personal + to share) & extra water container
• Heavy work gloves, safety glasses (in case you have to move damaged materials)
• First aid kit, hand sanitizer, 1-2 pairs medical gloves
• Pen/pencil, small pad/sheets of paper

This exercise is open to anyone who is interested in

• Learning more about utility cycling and using their bike to provide support to their community.
• Building and strengthening community resilience during times of both natural and man made disasters.
• Developing the mental, physical, and community building skills that will be valuable during and after a major natural disaster.

Awards and post-event libations

After you deliver the critical supplies and hand in your completed challenge cards at the finish line meet us and the fellow participants at Beer Star where we will be handing out awards, sharing experiences, and trading stories from the ride.

The Supplies that you will be delivering

In total your group will be delivering the following aid supplies and equipment:

• 3 2 ft. folding tables
• 1 10 ft. pop-up canopy
• 5 23” x 17” plastic containers (with lids) full of food, first aid kits, and other supplies
• 2 empty 10 Gal water coolers
• 1 Water tree - A 3 ft. long copper pipe with water spigots along it that hooks up via a hose to a potable water source.
• 10 5 ft. brass pipe - These pipes will simulate a variety of tools and equipment that will be needed by community hubs.
  • Examples are hand tools for rescue operations, shoring beams and medium scale water filtration systems.

Get updates and announcements

Stay in the loop and get updates and announcements about upcoming events and activities by [joining the Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise mailing list] (https://email.cascade.org/h/t/97B26DDDF9C3B723)!

Virtual Knowledge Session

Watch the recording of the Virtual Knowledge Session that we held on the 20th on YouTube -

Thank you for your interest

If this all sounds like an exciting mental and physical challenge and you are eager to learn more about the skills that you will be using to use your bike to respond to a natural disaster in your community we invite you to join us on this upcoming Bicycle Disaster Response Exercise! You can also become a part of the conversation around utility bikes and disaster readiness and get updates about future exercises or trainings by joining the mailing list.