Register Now to Participate in the
World’s Largest Earthquake Drill
Send a link to a friend
[October 15, 2021]
LINCOLN
- The World’s Largest Earthquake Drill will take place at 10:21 a.m.
on October 21, 2021, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is
encouraging all families, schools, businesses and other
organizations to register to participate in this quick and easy
preparedness drill.
|
ShakeOut is an international event involving
millions of participants from more than 40 states and territories
and several countries. The goal of this “Drop, Cover and Hold On”
drill is to improve preparedness and draw attention to the
earthquake hazards that exist in Illinois, across the country and
around the world.
“Fire drills and tornado drills are common practices in schools and
at businesses, but not everyone knows what they should do in the
event of an earthquake,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “We
cannot predict when or where the next devastating earthquake will
occur, but we can help people learn how to protect themselves and
reduce damage to their homes.”
More than 17.5 million people around the world have already
registered online. To date, more than 192,000 residents in Illinois
have pledged to participate in this annual exercise. Local emergency
managers throughout the state are hoping to increase that number as
we approach the day of the drill.
Disasters – large and small – can strike any time. Taking simple
steps today can pay huge dividends when the next emergency arrives.
IEMA encourages families to consider creating a Two Weeks Ready
preparedness plan. Being Two Weeks Ready means having a plan and
enough supplies for you and your household to survive on your own
for a full two weeks should a large disaster occur. IEMA has
developed various toolkits to help families, communities, seniors
and businesses adopt a Two Weeks Ready plan.
Due to COVID-19, our work and school environments are
changing. With people working from home, the Central United States
Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) has developed specialized toolkits for
homeschools, individuals and families to utilize. As always, you can
schedule your ShakeOut drill when and where you want it, whether
that’s at work, home, school, or through a video conference.
Why is this important?
Earthquakes can occur at anytime, anywhere and without warning.
While we often associate earthquakes with the west coast, quakes can
and do occur closer to home. Illinois is positioned between two
active seismic zones, the New Madrid Seismic Zone and the Wabash
Valley Seismic Zone.
[to top of second column] |
An earthquake in any of our neighboring states could be felt by
residents in Illinois. This underscores the importance of preparedness. An
earthquake can strike when you are at work, at home, at school, or while on
vacation. When you are asleep in your bed or at an afternoon ballgame. ShakeOut
provides the opportunity to practice what you would do in the event of an
earthquake.
Shakeout Participation is as easy as 1, 2, 3…
1. REGISTER your home, school, business or organization on the ShakeOut
website: www.ShakeOut.org/centralus. Once registered, your point of contact will
receive important information about earthquakes and preparedness.
2. MAKE A PLAN. Build an emergency supply kit for your family. Talk to
your family members about what you should do in the event of an earthquake.
Secure heavy items in your home like bookcases, refrigerators, televisions and
objects that hang on the wall. Evaluate your home for structural issues.
3. PRACTICE “DROP, COVER and HOLD ON” on October 21, 2021, at 10:21 am.
Drop to the ground onto your hands and knees.
Cover your head and neck with one arm to protect yourself from falling objects.
Hold On to a sturdy table or desk until the shaking is done.
These are the recommended actions to protect yourself during an earthquake.
Additional earthquake preparedness and mitigation information is available on
the following websites:
http://www.ready.
illinois.gov and
http://www.cusec.org.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |