San Rafael, CA – This year’s Great California Shakeout has special meaning for those who remember the bone-jarring jolt the Bay Area endured 25 years ago.
Employees of the Marin County government offices plan to participate in the 2014 Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill at 10:16 a.m. on Oct. 16, one day before the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, which rocked the greater Bay Area and killed 63 people.
The annual drill, to take place across the state and around the world, aims to convey the message of “Drop, Cover and Hold On” in the event of an earthquake. People in buildings have been among the worst injured during quakes because of falling furnishings and building materials. Practicing the technique during the Great ShakeOut will serve as a readiness reminder for all.
“The County of Marin supports the ShakeOut by encouraging participation of all its employees and all Marin residents,” said Thomas Jordan of the Marin County Office of Emergency Services. “We have to remember how close we came to a major catastrophe when the Napa quake struck in August. Had the epicenter been closer to us and had it taken place during business hours, these lifesaving techniques promoted during the ShakeOut would have prevented many injuries.”
The Marin ShakeOut team consists of members of Marin County departments and agencies, the Marin Interagency Disaster Coalition (MIDC) and private sector partners. Cities and towns also will be participating.
The Great ShakeOut drills began in California in 2008 and have been a great way for individuals, families, schools, and other organizations to practice what to do to survive and recover quickly from earthquakes and what to do after the shaking stops. Individuals are encouraged to register for this drill and then participate wherever they may be at 10:16 a.m. on Oct. 16. Those outdoors are recommended to look up and around for hazards such as power lines and unreinforced brick structures. Once registered, participants will receive valuable updates about disaster preparedness and will be counted among those who joined the event.
Millions of people are already registered to participate in the ShakeOut worldwide. Registration information and all Great ShakeOut materials (print and multimedia) for individuals and organizations can be found at www.shakeout.org. That includes instructions on how to organize a drill in your office, neighborhood or school. There is information on what to do if you are in bed, driving, in a tall building and other situations. A downloadable preparedness guide is available for those people with disabilities or access and functional needs.
Use Alert Marin to register your cell phone to receive emergency notifications. More than 8,000 local residents have done it already. Have you?