This year’s Great California ShakeOut drill will take place at 10:15am on October 15th, 2009. The drill will last for 60 seconds whereby participants will react as if a real earthquake is happening. The recommended action to minimize injury from earthquakes is the Drop, Cover, and Hold On method.
Purpose of the Great California ShakeOut
It is an opportunity for families, schools, businesses, governments and emergency response teams to devise and carry out their earthquake preparedness plans. This includes what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
The Great California ShakeOut also allows participants to test out the logistics of their plans. Sometimes what is written down on paper does not work when put to action. Some institutions and businesses are conducting practice drills in preparation for the real earthquake drill on October 15th.
Participants are encouraged to share their plans by conducting workshops or devising a plan that coordinates the efforts of other parties. For example: schools creating an earthquake preparedness plan and providing resource material for their students’ families in order for them to create a plan for their homes. Another example is emergency response teams checking up on nursing homes after an earthquake has happened.
Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Preparedness Information
The website created for the Great California ShakeOut is extremely comprehensive and contains information for all types of participants. It explains what to do when an earthquake strikes as well as what not to do.
There are specific instruction pages for individuals, schools, business, government agencies and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). The pages are divided into three sections:
- Plan Your Drill
Participants are encouraged to plan what they are going to do when an earthquake hits. This plan needs to be carried out during the Great California ShakeOut drill.
- Be Prepared
This section deals with creating specific plans on what to do before, during and after an earthquake. There are links to other earthquake preparedness resource material available on the website, including free online manuals created specifically for institutions, business, and agencies.
- Share the Shake Out
Participants are offered ideas on how to encourage other people to join the California ShakeOut and to create an earthquake preparedness plan. Free promotional materials are available as well as a downloadable video.
Organizers hope to reach a goal of 10 million participants, but as of September 24th, 2009, there are 5.2 million people registered. A real-time counter of participants and a map of details for each area can be found at the Great California ShakeOut website.
Related Articles on California Earthquakes
The Long Beach Earthquake 1933
The 1906 San Fransisco Earthquake
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