Following FEMA’s “National Preparedness Month” in September, individuals and communities throughout Clallam County will participate in the Great Clallam County ShakeOut earthquake drill.
Held annually on the third Thursday of October, the Great Clallam County ShakeOut, part of the International ShakeOut Day, is set for Thursday, Oct. 21. During the self-led drill, participants practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”. Endorsed by emergency officials and first responders, the safe response to an earthquake is to:
DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby.
COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand
If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter
If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs
HOLD ON until shaking stops
Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.
In conjunction with the Great Clallam County ShakeOut, the county-wide tsunami sirens will be tested using the actual tsunami warning wail sound
Clallam County Emergency Management Coordinator, Justine Chorley stated: “The more we can do to practice and prepare now, the better we can respond and recover during a real event”
The ShakeOut is free and open-to-the-public, and participants include individuals, schools, businesses, local and state government agencies, and many other groups. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to join the drill by registering to participate at www.ShakeOut.org. Once registered, participants receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.
To date, close to one million people are registered to participate in this event throughout Washington State, however Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills will also occur throughout the nation and in several countries worldwide. More than 35 million people around the globe are expected to participate; and in addition to safety drills, many participants take extra steps to become better prepared for earthquakes or other disasters.
Clallam County is one of Washington State’s leaders in registering for the ShakeOut. Let’s see if we can continue this tradition.
The Great Clallam County ShakeOut is coordinated by the Washington State, Clallam County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and dozens of other partners. ShakeOut is coordinated globally by the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California.
