Emergency Management Oceanside is encouraging residents to participate in the 2022 Great British Columbia ShakeOut Drill.
EMO, on behalf of the City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach, wants to spread the word to residents to do their part to stay prepared for natural disasters. And way to do this is to practice how to be safe during an earthquake.
The ShakeOut drill is set for Oct. 20 at 10:20 a.m. Last year, more than one million people in the province participated in the drill.
Register at shakeoutbc.ca to be counted in the drill and to obtain resources and important safety and preparedness information. Intended to create public awareness of earthquake hazards and encourage personal preparedness, ShakeOut participants Drop, Cover and Hold On for two minutes in response to a simulated earthquake event.
The BC Shakeout website has a wealth of information about how to participate and most importantly, how to Drop, Cover and Hold On — a quake-safe action designed to protect people from objects that may become projectiles during an earthquake.
READ MORE: Qualicum Beach gets $25K in emergency preparedness funding
It doesn’t have to be a huge event – even just taking two minutes to practise drop, cover and hold can greatly increase your chance of staying safe in the event of an earthquake in your home or work.
How to participate in ShakeOut
1. Plan Your Drill: Register at shakeoutbc.ca to be counted, get email updates, and more. Download audio and video from the ShakeOut website to add to the effect of your drill.
2. Drop, Cover, Hold On: At 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20 drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy piece of furniture like a desk or table and hold on as if a major earthquake were happening (stay there for at least 60 seconds). While taking cover, imagine what would happen in a major earthquake. What would fall, what would be damaged, what can you do to make your environment safer?
3. Get Prepared for Earthquakes: Ensure you have the necessary supplies; you may need to remain in place for at least 72 hours or up to a week after an earthquake. Do a “hazard hunt” for items that might fall during earthquakes and secure them. Create a personal or family disaster plan.
The Emergency Management Oceanside website provides links to a free emergency preparedness guidebook. Residents are encouraged to review the information in the workbook; this comprehensive guide will help you organize or refresh your emergency supply kits as well as general emergency preparedness information.
— NEWS Staff