SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 5, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake City Fire Department is urging individuals and organizations to synchronize their watches and join a world-wide drill to practice not dying in an earthquake.
The awareness exercise is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on April 20, known as The Great Shake Out
“It is no lie that earthquakes pose a major concern to the residents of Utah,” the fire department said on its website. “In fact, 90% of Utah’s population live in active earthquake zones. This realization can be quite alarming to digest.
“Luckily, on April 20 you can practice a live earthquake drill with 720,000 other Utahns from your home, place of work, or other area! ‘The Great ShakeOut’ is put on every year worldwide to promote the importance of having a plan in place for an earthquake.”
Register at ShakeOut.org/utah to receive email alerts, information and a video. “Millions of people worldwide have participated in Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills since 2008,” according to ShakeOut.org. “The first Utah ShakeOut was held in 2012 as part of a statewide earthquake response exercise.
“Everyone can participate! Individuals, families, businesses, schools, colleges, government agencies and organizations are all invited to register.”
Salt Lake fire advises “By having an emergency plan created prior to a disaster, you, your family, coworkers, friends, etc., can be better prepared to sustain the quake. With this knowledge, The Great ShakeOut promotes ‘DROP to the ground, COVER yourself with a sturdy surface, and HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.’
“If you are outside, you should stay away from large trees and buildings and practice the tips above until the shaking stops. During this drill, you, your family, coworkers, teammates, friends, etc. will practice this, in addition to evacuating to a safe place after the quake stops for accountability and further coordination.”
“Why is a ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ drill important?” asks ShakeOut.org. “To respond quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake before strong shaking knocks you down, or something falls on you.” Other promoters of The Great Shake Out include Utah’s Department of Natural Resources, the Utah Seismic Safety Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
