Gov. Quinn urges Illinoisans to join biggest earthquake drill in
Midwest history
On
Thursday,
more than 2 million will 'Drop, Cover and Hold On'
Send a link to a friend
[February 05, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn
calls on every Illinois resident, school and business to participate
in what's being called the "largest earthquake drill in the history
of the Midwest." The drill will be on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. The
third annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is a nine-state emergency
preparedness drill designed to encourage residents to think about
what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
|
Participants can register for the drill online at
www.shakeout.org/centralus and will receive valuable tips and
information about earthquake preparedness. More than 410,000
Illinois residents are already registered for the drill, which will
highlight Earthquake Preparedness Month in Illinois. "It only
takes a minute to register online in the Great ShakeOut and just
seconds to participate in the drill itself, but the lessons are
invaluable," Quinn said. "This drill embraces the motto of the U.S.
Coast Guard: ‘Semper Paratus' or ‘Always Ready.' I invite everyone
to learn what they can do to keep safe."
The drill received a boost from the White House.
"Events like the Great ShakeOut raise awareness about the
importance of disaster preparedness and show how individuals and
communities can connect, engage and learn what action to take,"
President Obama said.
Illinois sits atop two major fault zones, the New Madrid Seismic
Zone and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone. The most powerful series of
earthquakes ever to hit the United States happened in 1811-12 near
New Madrid, Mo. In a 2008 study conducted by the University of
Illinois Mid-America Earthquake Center, it was projected that if a
similar quake struck the same region today, there would be 3,500
fatalities, 2.6 million people without electricity and $300 billion
in direct economic losses. Bridges, docks, highways and water
infrastructure would be in shambles.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is heading up
preparedness efforts in Illinois.
"The ShakeOut drill raises awareness about the threat of
earthquakes in Illinois," said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. "The
drill only takes a few minutes, but the lessons learned can save
countless lives."
[to top of second column] |
Monken noted that on the IEMA website,
Ready.Illinois.gov,
residents are offered tips for emergency planning, such as knowing
escape routes and family reunification plans, building an earthquake
kit, and caring for pets. The site provides tips on how to act
during a seismic event, such as avoiding bookcases or, if driving,
viaducts.
The drill focuses on the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" protective
actions people should take when a quake begins: "Drop" down to the
floor, take "Cover" under a sturdy desk or table, and "Hold On"
until the shaking stops.
With just one week to go, 2.3 million Midwestern residents have
already registered for the 2013 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. The
event is sponsored by the Central United States Earthquake
Consortium and its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky,
Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
Other participating organizations are the American Red Cross,
Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Geological Survey.
[Text from
Illinois
Emergency Management Agency file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
|