Great Washington ShakeOut earthquake drill takes place Thursday
Oct 15, 2020, 6:17 AM | Updated: 10:17 am
The Great Washington ShakeOut earthquake drill took place Thursday morning across the state.
This acted as a time to practice drop, cover, and hold, but also to think about what you would do in each situation.
In the event of an actual earthquake, if you are outside, crawling or rolling to a door or somewhere safe my be your best option. If you are in a building, drop and take cover under a sturdy piece of furniture and hold on to something if you can. Do not try to get outside.
If you are in bed, roll over, put a pillow over your head, and hold on.
If you have nowhere to take cover, put your arms over your head and neck for better protection.
International ShakeOut Day is always the third Thursday of October.
Are you ready for International #ShakeOut Day this Thursday, October 15? Join us by registering your participation at: https://t.co/dw84eCZTCU. All you need to do is hold an earthquake drill for one minute (but many do much more too)! pic.twitter.com/EXDtlC2isy
— ShakeOut (@ShakeOut) October 13, 2020
The Washington Emergency Management Division recognizes that this year’s ShakeOut looked a little different.
“Due to COVID-19, work environments continue to adapt and change. Some schools and colleges are still operating completely online. It seems like every day, we are confronting new challenges. All while earthquakes are still happening,” says the state’s Emergency Management Division. “One thing’s for sure: We all still need to practice drop, cover and hold on because an earthquake can strike without warning.”
On the coast, tsunami sirens sounded off at 10:15 a.m. This was part of the drill. That includes messages in English, as well as Spanish and Russian in some areas. NOAA Weather Radios also sounded an alarm.
If there is ever a year to be prepared for a disaster, it’s 2020.
Join the Great Washington #ShakeOut this Thursday. And make sure you and your family are ready for an earthquake. https://t.co/sVjBSDYLIo
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) October 13, 2020
The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.
