Pierce County Schools To Run Massive Lahar Drill Friday

SUMNER, WA — On Friday, five school districts from across eastern Pierce County will be participating in what organizers believe is the largest lahar drill ever performed in the country.

During Friday's drill students from the five participating districts — Puyallup School District, Orting School District, Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, White River School District, and Carbonado Historical School District — will step out of their classrooms and walk their lahar evacuation routes.

The drill is set to begin at 9 a.m. Organizers say commuters should be aware there will be extra pedestrians out on the streets, as the hundreds of kids walk their routes. In Sumner, for example, several streets are expected to be congested or outright stopped as students leave Sumner High, Maple Lawn Elementary and Daffodil Valley Elementary School.

While the walk may interrupt some commuters, organizers with the East Pierce Interlocal Coalition say the massive drill will help prepare kids in case of a real-life disaster, helping to familiarize them with their lahar routes and prepared to avoid the mudflows that follow a volcanic eruption.

"We know that if a real-life lahar were to happen, the Cities of Puyallup, Orting, Sumner, Bonney Lake, and other areas will be impacted," said Puyallup Police Chief Scott Engle. "The response needs to be regional. That is why we have partnered with all these communities to host a region-wide drill. Preparedness matters, and if we can teach young people to be prepared, that helps us from a law enforcement perspective when we respond to these emergencies."

While only students and school staff will be participating in the drill, the public is invited to brush up on their lahar safety by:

1. Making a Plan. Identify the evacuation route nearest your home and plan how you are going to evacuate.
2. Preparing an Emergency Kit. Stock your kit with essential items such as an N95 mask, first aid, water, food, a flashlight, blankets, and other items.
3. Communicating. Create a list of phone numbers for family members and friends. Establish regular contact with them before, during, and after an emergency.

>> Learn more about the upcoming drill from the City of Puyallup.