Great Oregon ShakeOut on Thursday encourages earthquake preparedness
Around 600,000 Oregonians will stop, cover and hold on during an earthquake drill that will take place at 10:19 a.m. Thursday across the state.
The Great Oregon ShakeOut is part of a global self-led drill that encourages people to prepare for and practice how to stay safe during an earthquake.
Emerging science about a massive Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, that could cause major disruption west of the Cascade Range, has prompted the state to focus on the threat.
“No matter where you are, you should drop, cover and hold on for one minute as if an earthquake were happening at that time,” the Oregon Department of Emergency Management said in a news release highlighting the event.
.@ChrisPietsch and I visited McCornack Elementary for their Great Oregon ShakeOut practice this morning. Students practice “stop, drop, cover and hold on” for earthquake safety. @registerguard pic.twitter.com/vuafDOaE8Y
— Miranda Cyr (@mirandabcyr) October 19, 2023
The agency said the best way to practice was by doing the following:
1: Drop immediately onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to a nearby shelter. If you use a wheelchair or walker, lock your wheels.
2: Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter. This protects you from objects that might fall or topple over, such as unsecured items on shelves, ceiling fans, bookshelves or TVs, and other debris. If there is no nearby shelter, crawl next to an interior wall away from windows. Cover your head with your arms. Remain on your knees and bend over to protect vital organs.
3: Hold on until the shaking stops. If under a shelter, such as a desk or table, hold onto it with one hand and be ready to move with it as the ground moves up and down and side-to-side. If there is no shelter, hold onto your head and neck with both arms and hands.
Learn more about the Oregon shake out here: ShakeOut.org.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or 503-399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Great Oregon ShakeOut encourages earthquake preparedness
