What is The Great ShakeOut?
Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Millions of people will be doing this today at 10:19am on. The idea behind The Great ShakeOut is to help people perform the physical actions that will keep them safe during an earthquake. Prior to the development of this idea, there were no universal preparation efforts in place. The Great ShakeOut was developed to spread awareness and help people understand the importance of a safety plan.
Who developed the Concept?
The concept was founded by the USGS and began in California in 2008. The USGS is always seeking out ways to prepare, educate, and lessen the effects of earthquakes. There are now 45 states participating in the preparation activity. The USGS provides various resources to help spread the word, report possible earthquakes, and mitigate the effects felt by each community. Check out USGS.gov to learn more.
Why Do We Do It?
The Great ShakeOut was developed to help earthquake prone areas prepare for the devastation of an actual earthquake. Similar to what we do here at Redfora, The Great ShakeOut wants people understand the importance of education and preparedness. According to this article, nearly half of all Americans are exposed to potentially damaging earthquakes based on where they work and live.
When Does it Take Place?
The Great ShakeOut takes place on October 19th at 10:19am. It’s always the third Thursday of October. Every year, the time is matched to the date. In 2018, it will take place on October 18th at 10:18am.
Participating in The Great ShakeOut is similar to performing fire drills. Every one of us is taught to Stop, Drop and Roll if we’re ever caught by fire. It’s basically a household mantra and one that every child knows by a very young age. We take so many precautions to keep ourselves and our families safe, it only makes sense to add earthquake preparation to the roster.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
How Can I Participate?
If you go to TheGreatShakeOut.org, you can learn all about participation, sign ups, and who else is taking part. There are resources to plan your drill whether it’s for yourself, your family, or your place of employment.
Check stats on who else is participating and what they’re doing to spread the word. You can find guides and other information on how to educate those around you about this great preparation effort.
It takes about 1 minute to practice this proven and effective safety measure.
Just Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
And take pictures or videos of your participation. Doing this will show others that you’re focused on safety and committed to preparation. It will also inspire those around you take part in this exercise.
The Great ShakeOut is a big day for us at The Earthquake Bag. We feel strongly about education, preparation, and safety. It’s our mission to inform people on what they can and should be doing to mitigate the effects of an earthquake.
Millions of people will be participating in The Great Shakeout, which is amazing. They know the importance of action. We want to take it a step further. Not only should you you know how to protect yourself during the earthquake, but also, once the quake has stopped.
Be prepared for any disastrous effects, displacement, or evacuation. Practice the steps to take during an earthquake with The Great ShakeOut and practice the steps to take post-quake with The Earthquake Bag.