King County Executive Dow Constantine last week launched the “Resilient King County” initiative, a county-wide, two-year planning process for crafting a comprehensive long-term recovery strategy following a major earthquake or other catastrophe.

At a summit in Redmond, representatives from the corporate and non-profit sectors discussed the impact a major disaster would have on the region. Numerous studies show the Pacific Northwest faces a high probability of a mega-earthquake in the next 50 years. Resilient King County is one of the first long-term regional recovery planning efforts in the nation.

Recent disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, have increased awareness of the hazards facing King County and western Washington. Resilient King County seeks to develop a comprehensive long-term plan to guide recovery efforts after a large-scale disaster.

For more information on the Resilient King County initiative, visit www.kingcounty.gov/prepare.