Tokeland, WA

The Shoalwater Bay Indigenous Tribe of Tokeland, Washington, with assistance from FEMA, funded and constructed the first free-standing "Vertical Tsunami Evacuation Tower" in the United States.

Tokeland sits only 80 miles east of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. In the event of a very large earthquake along this fault line ("The Big One"), Tokeland would likely only have as little as 10-15 minutes to evacuate before a record breaking tsunami arrives. Out of the concern of not having time to make it far enough inland before the first wave hits, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe spearheaded the construction of the nation's first evacuation structure of its kind. It sits above Tokeland stocked with MREs (food), water, a Ham Radio SOS station, bedding and many more essential supplies for survivors to live on the tower until waters recede and aid arrives on the coast.

The tower has enough room and supplies to provide for the entire population of not only the Indigenous Tribe, but also the entire town of Tokeland. It inspired multiple other communities to begin the process of constructing their own similar life-saving last resort towers.