“Drop, Cover And Hold On!” – Stay Prepared For The Next Earthquake

October 17, 2024, is the 35th anniversary of the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake that rocked California in 1989. The 6.9 magnitude earthquake took place south of San Francisco, claimed 63 lives, and caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and people’s homes in the Bay Area and Central California. Even today, the Bay Area remains at high risk for earthquakes because of the San Andreas Fault System that runs through it.

This year, to mark the 35th anniversary of October 17, a disaster preparedness drill – termed the Great Shakeout – will take place worldwide at 10:17 am local time. In the run-up to this drill, Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media conducted a press briefing on October 10, to disseminate earthquake preparedness guidance for Californians.

Seven Steps To Earthquake Safety

Unlike atmospheric events like storms and hurricanes, predicting when an earthquake will hit is difficult. However, there’s a high chance of a major earthquake in the LA area and an even higher chance in the Bay Area.

“Scientists stay very busy trying to assess the degree to which earthquakes can occur in our state in the next 30 years,” said Amy Palmer, Director of Communications for Cal OES (Office of Emergency Services). But “earthquakes remain unpredictable.”

As a result, Californians must know the right steps to take beforehand to minimize the chances of any physical harm.

The Earthquake Country Alliance, a coalition of organizations committed to keeping communities safe during an earthquake has formulated a seven-step guide to earthquake safety .

The first four steps involve preparation before the earthquake: securing your space by identifying hazards; creating an emergency plan with other members of the home for efficient communication during the earthquake; organizing emergency supplies; and minimizing financial hardships by organizing your documents, strengthening the construction of the property, and considering insurance options.

Next are two crucial steps for taking evasive action once the tremors begin. “Drop, cover, and hold on” entails dropping to the floor, positioning yourself under a table or any sort of stable cover, and holding on in that position until the shaking subsides. The next step is to evacuate the space if necessary after the earthquake and help the injured.

The final step is to work towards restoring normalcy after the immediate threat of the earthquake has passed, by helping others in your community.

Some other precautions to keep in mind are to watch out for falling pieces of furniture, not standing in doorways, and not running out of the building in the midst of an earthquake. Additionally, if you are driving in a car, it is important to watch for falling debris or rocks and to pull over and ride out the shaking within your car.

Sign Up For Alerts Today

Though earthquakes are unpredictable, the state of California is leading the way in the country when it comes to early warning systems. Jose Lara, the Chief of the Seismic Hazards Branch at Cal OES explained that since 2019, the state of California has installed earthquake sensors all over the state to pick up on tremors. These statewide sensors allow state agencies to detect tremors and alert the public a few seconds earlier through the California Earthquake Early Warning System through the MyShake app .

He explained that the system has successfully sent tens of millions of alerts to people in Southern California, warning them before the tremors begin.

“This could be all the way up to 20, 30 seconds of warning, depending on where you are relative to the epicenter,” said Lara. “And this system is really the first in the nation.”

The app is also a useful resource to educate oneself about reliable earthquake preparedness information and track seismic activity happening around the world.

The state plans to integrate this system into public infrastructure, so the alert would automatically turn off heavy machinery in industrial areas, bring traffic to a halt, and turn off electrical power.

Lara appealed to everyone in the state to sign up for the alert system through the MyShake app, wireless emergency alerts, or Android alerts. He also urged everyone to check the settings on their phones and verify that wireless emergency alerts and notifications are switched on.

The Great California Shakeout Tour

Listos California, a state organization dedicated to the dissemination of disaster preparedness information and resources in multiple languages, has used the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake to educate Californians about earthquake preparedness. Almost ten million have already registered for the Great Shakeout drill on October 17.

Apart from the drill itself, Listos and Cal OES organized the Great California Shakeout Tour, which comprised in-person events in nine Californian cities over the past eight weeks to spread the word. Sonya Harris, Senior Advisor at Listos California urged everyone in the state to register for the Great Shakeout.

“Whether that’s sharing some top tips and using our resources, or even, taking a moment to pause on the 17th, at 10:17 am to just say, ‘How much do you know about earthquake preparedness? Do you know the quick tip of drop, cover, and hold on?,” she said. “Just really cement those three actions that are going to help keep people safe.”

Register for the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill here . More information about signing up for emergency earthquake alerts here . Click here to access Listos California’s earthquake preparedness resources in multiple languages.

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