Worldwide earthquake drill to be held

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency is urging Ohioans to join the more than 10.4 million people across the globe participating in a worldwide earthquake drill in October.

This year’s International ShakeOut Day will be held Oct. 15. Ohio’s one-minute safety drill is scheduled for 10:15-10:16 a.m. when Ohioans are encouraged to practice the drop, cover and hold on response to an earthquake.

“Many don’t think of Ohio when they think of earthquakes, but they do happen here. This year alone, Ohio has already experienced 24 low-range earthquakes including two 2.5 magnitude earthquakes in Lake and Shelby counties,” Ohio EMA director Sima Merick said. “Although Ohio earthquakes are typically on the low end of the Richter scale, you could experience a strong earthquake while visiting another state or country, so it’s important to know how to react so that you don’t get hurt.”

So far, more than 9,700 Ohioans have registered to take part in the worldwide drill, but Ohio registrations are well behind other nearby states including Indiana with more than 345,000 participants. Households, schools, businesses and other organizations are encouraged to sign up and be an example that motivates others to prepare.

During the one-minute drill, Ohioans are encouraged to practice these simple steps:

Drop where you are onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter. If you have mobility issues, either lock the wheels of your wheelchair or stay seated and bend over at the waist.

Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for protection. If no shelter is available, crawl next to an interior wall and stay clear of windows.

Hold on until the shaking stops. If you are under a table or desk for shelter, hold on to it with one hand and be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts.

”Although the actual ShakeOut drill will only last for one minute, the emergency planning and preparation makes the ShakeOut more than an earthquake drill,” Merick said. “The International ShakeOut is intended to get people talking about emergency preparedness and planning for all hazards including earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes or hazard material incidents.”

To learn more and register to participate, visit www.shakeout.org/centralus/. Additional earthquake-preparedness information also is available at www.ready.ohio.gov. Click on Earthquakes in the green menu bar.

Ohio EMA will promote the earthquake safety campaign and drill virtually, posting all ShakeOut information on Facebook and Twitter.