Illinois residents encouraged to
register for ‘The Great ShakeOut’ earthquake drill
‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ Drill Set for
October 20
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[September 10, 2016]
SPRINGFIELD
– Earthquakes occur without warning and can have devastating
effects, as the world witnessed this week after a deadly earthquake
in Italy.
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With two seismic zones in the southern part of the state and
Illinois residents who travel throughout the world, the Illinois
Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management
agencies encourage people to participate in the annual Great
ShakeOut earthquake drill on Oct. 20 to learn how to stay safe when
the earth starts to shake.
“We never know when or where the next catastrophic earthquake will
occur,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “But we do know steps
people can take to stay safe. The Great ShakeOut earthquake drill is
a quick, easy way for people to practice steps that could save their
lives. We encourage Illinois residents to join millions of people
across the U.S. and around the globe in the Great ShakeOut on Oct.
20.”
Joseph said the ShakeOut drill, which will occur at 10:20 a.m. on
Oct. 20, centers around the Drop, Cover and Hold On actions: drop
down to the ground, take cover under a table or other piece of heavy
furniture and then hold on until the shaking stops.
Illinois has participated in ShakeOut drills for the past six years.
In October 2015, nearly 667,000 Illinoisans took part in the
nationwide earthquake drill. To date, nearly 328,000 people in
Illinois are registered for this year’s event.
Joseph noted that some of the most powerful earthquakes to ever
occur in the U.S. happened a little more than 200 years ago in the
New Madrid Seismic Zone, which reaches into southern Illinois. That
series of earthquakes lasted for several months and shaking was felt
as far away as the East Coast.
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Schools, businesses, government agencies, families and others can register to
participate in the drill at
www.shakeout.org/centralus. Registered participants will receive
additional information about the drill and earthquake preparedness. While the
international drill will take place on Oct. 20, individual drills can be
conducted anytime within two weeks of that date.
Additional information about the earthquake risk in Illinois and steps to take
before, during and after an earthquake is available at
www.Ready.Illinois.gov.
[Patti Thompson, Illinois Emergency
Management Agency]
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