Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills: Awareness to Action

Mark Benthien

Southern California Earthquake Center

Involves 600+ scientists at 65 institutions worldwide, headquartered at USC

Focuses on earthquake system science using Southern California as a natural laboratory

Translates basic research into practical products to reduce earthquake risk

Southern California Earthquake Center

Statewide partnership of people, organizations, and regional alliances

Each regional alliance conducts its own activities and collaborates with the others

Statewide committees determine long-range plans, sector-based needs, and develop resources

Significant support provided by FEMA

Join today: www.earthquakecountry.org/alliance

Earthquake Country Alliance

Redwood CoastTsunami Workgroup

Bay AreaEarthquake Alliance

Future Alliance

Southern CaliforniaEarthquake Alliance

EarthquakeCountry.org

• How to prepare, survive & recover

• Key programs and activities

• Downloadable booklets, videos, games, and more

• Become an ECA Associate

• Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

1. Secure Your Space

2. Plan to be Safe

3. Organize Disaster Supplies

4. Minimize Financial Hardship

5. Drop,Cover, and Hold On

6. ImproveSafety

7. Reconnectand Restore

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earthquakecountry.org/sevensteps

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www.earthquakecountry.org/step5

Step 5: Drop, Cover and Hold On• When the earth shakes• In most situations (see link below)• Protection from falling objects

Why Drop, Cover, and Hold On?

• Buildings rarely collapse in the United States

• Keeps you from being thrown to the ground

• Protection from falling items…and structural elements

Calexico, CaliforniaApril 2010 M7.2

Mexico City, MexicoSeptember 1985 M8.1

• Drop to the floor (or bend over in chair)

• Cover your head and neck with one hand, then take shelter under a nearby table or desk, or against a wall

• Hold On to your shelter until shaking stops (if not under something, cover your head and neck with both hands)

Basic Earthquake Drill

This is appropriate for most situations and building types, but not all

• “Wait a Minute” after shaking stops, in case objects continue to fall

• Look for hazards before you move:• Above you• Around you• Behind you• Below you• Ahead of you

 • Expect aftershocks -- be prepared to

drop again. • Follow your emergency plan (which

may or may not include evacuation) 

After Shaking Stops…

Northridge, CAJanuary 1994 M6.7

Participate: Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills!

Annual events held worldwide when millions of people practice

Many do much more!

2015 ShakeOut Day of Action: October 15

ShakeOut.org

• They see and hear consistent information about what to do frequently, in many forms, and from many sources

• They see others like themselves getting prepared

• They talk about preparedness with people they know

• They learn potential consequences, and how to avoid them

ShakeOut puts these findings into practice

Based on Social Science Research

Research by Dennis Mileti, Linda Bourque, and others on what motivates people to get prepared:

ShakeOut Mission and Goals

Mission:

Everyone, everywhere should know how to protect themselves during earthquakes

Goals:• Encourage people worldwide to practice earthquake safety

• Register at www.ShakeOut.org

• Shift the culture about earthquakes and preparedness• Inspire discussions about being prepared to survive and recover

• Increase earthquake readiness at all levels• Whole Community: family, community, school, business, government…

ShakeOut History

• Created in 2008 to involve millions in a state-run exercise based on a magnitude 7.8 San Andreas fault earthquake- 2008: 5.4 million (Southern California)

• More participants and additional states/countries each year– 2009: 6.9 million (all California)

– 2010: 8 million (California, Nevada, and Guam)

– 2011: 12.1 million (15 states/territories & British Columbia)

– 2012: 19.4 million (26 states/territories, 5 countries with official drills)

– 2013: 24.9 million (44 states/territories, expansion worldwide

– 2014: 26.5 million (47 states/territories, continued expansion worldwide)

Everyone can ShakeOut!

Everyone… Everywhere, and Growing!

2014: 26.5 Million People Worldwide! (10.4 million in California)

• Public and Private Partners– Many people and organizations working together

• A Whole Community approach– Customized information for over 20 categories of participants

• ShakeOut.org website – Online registration and listing of participants – Instructions for many types of organizations– ShakeOut.org/espanol (also sites in Japanese, French, & Italian)

• ShakeOut Materials– Multiple levels of manuals for schools, businesses, organizations, and

government agencies; flyers, posters, and much more

• Drill Broadcasts (audio and video narrated instructions)

• Radio, TV, and print promotion and PSAs

• Extensive traditional and social media coverage/interaction

Key ShakeOut Elements

www.shakeout.org & www.shakeout.org/california

Benefits of Registering

• Be counted in the world’s largest earthquake drill!

• Be listed with other participants (Optional)

• Be an example that motivates others to get prepared

• Be updated with ShakeOut news and safety tips

• Have peace of mind that you, your family, your co-workers, and millions of others will be better prepared to survive and recover quickly from our next big earthquake!

Example Statistics

California BusinessesAll Regions

Participation Categories (2014 totals)

• K-12 Schools 14,494,225• Colleges and Universities 3,368,835• Businesses 992,011• Local Government 774,518• National Government 605,309• State Government 457,098• Non-Profit Organizations 450,527• Healthcare 383,514• Faith-based Organizations 238,950• Childcare and Pre-Schools 129,708• Preparedness Organizations 41,919• Individuals/Families 39,296• Senior Facilities/Communities 37,654• Neighborhood Groups 37,296• Tribes/Indigenous 20,948• Media Organizations 18,000• Museums, Libraries, Parks, etc. 15,019• Science/Engineering Organizations 12,181• Other categories: 95,293

(Note: These totals do not include participation in Japan, for which participation is not provided by category)

Example ShakeOut Resources

• Each has instructions for multiple levels of earthquake drills:– Simple Drop, Cover, Hold On drill– Life Safety (including evacuation)– Decision-Making Table Top drill– Advanced Exercise

• Available for schools, businesses/organizations, government agencies, and healthcare facilities

ShakeOut Drill Manuals

• Earthquake PreparednessGuide for People withDisabilities and Other Access or FunctionalNeeds

• Organized according toSeven Steps to EathquakeSafety

Seniors and People with Disabilities

America’s PrepareAthon!

• ShakeOut is a major activity of “America’s PrepareAthon!” (participation is included within annual AP! totals)

• Assessment of preparednessactivities (drills, fairs, PSAs, and other activiteis) for allhazards

• Spring (April 30) and Fall (Sept. 30) National PrepareAthon Days

• ready.gov/prepare• @PrepareAthon

National Preparedness Month

ready.gov/september

Facebook.com/greatshakeout

Twitter.com/shakeout

(#shakeout)

Join the Conversation

• Register your ShakeOut Drill at

Shakeout.Org

• Download and distribute resources: - Drill manuals- Flyers and posters- Videos- And much more

Register and Spread the Word