News release: “In the wake of Japan’s tsunami disaster, NOAA is urging Americans who live and vacation at the coast to take the threat of tsunamis seriously. With more coastline than any other country in the world and proximity to several major fault lines, the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean coasts of the United States are vulnerable to tsunamis. NOAA’s National Weather Service, which operates the U.S. tsunami detection and warning system, says that the key to surviving a tsunami is staying informed and moving quickly to higher ground when a tsunami threatens. In a message issued by the White House this week, President Barack Obama acknowledged that although the danger posed by tsunamis cannot be eliminated, NOAA’s efforts within the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program to work with local communities on hazard assessment, evacuation planning, and educational outreach can help save lives by equipping citizens to effectively respond to emergency situations.”