The Great US ShakeOut

April 28, 2011

One natural disaster that more of us may have been considering lately is a major earthquake. If you’ve watched the news at all in the last month, you are probably aware of the devastation and loss of life in Japan after a 9.0 magnitude temblor rocked that country and set off a massive tsunami and nuclear power plant meltdown.

Today, people all over the US will be practicing what they should do in case of an earthquake. This includes how to react while the earthquake is going on (Drop, Cover, and Hold On), what to do next (check gas pipelines and turn them off if damaged, etc.), how to identify hazards beforehand, (unstable bookshelves, etc.) and how to assess your family’s disaster preparedness plan.

Check out this site for more information. http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/

This drill could be done tonight right before dinner and then the whole family could discuss a plan and precautions while you eat. It would be a great opportunity to introduce preparedness in a concrete way.