City of Redlands Readies for the Great California ShakeOut

With 37 million people living and working in California, a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards. With earthquakes an inevitable part of California’s future, we must act quickly to ensure that disasters do not become catastrophes. This year the City of Redlands will join more than 22 million Californians on Thursday, Oct. 17 in the Great California ShakeOut to increase awareness and readiness for a major earthquake. At 10:17 a.m., all City departments at the Redlands Civic Center, Development Services Department and Police Annex will be evacuated. Customers doing business at that time will be advised of the evacuation procedure and directed where to go. The inconvenience will be minor and will last only a few minutes. A key aspect of the ShakeOut is the integration of comprehensive science-based earthquake research and the lessons learned from decades of social science research about why people get prepared. The result is a “teachable moment” on a par with having an actual earthquake, often followed by increased interest in getting ready for earthquakes. ShakeOut creates a sense of urgency that is needed for people, organizations, and communities to get prepared, to practice what to do to be safe, and to learn what plans need to be improved. Emergency responders will review procedures and communications protocols along with volunteers from the Redlands Emergency Communication Group and the City will activate emergency communications as part of the Emergency Operations Center on Park Avenue to ensure that first responders will receive EOC activation notices in a timely manner. In October 2012, over 9.4 million Californians participated in the ShakeOut through a broad-based outreach program, media partnerships, and public advocacy by hundreds of partners. The drill is now held statewide annually on the third Thursday of October, and is organized by the Earthquake Country Alliance. The 2013 ShakeOut drill will be the largest preparedness event in world history. Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their drill and how to create a dialogue with others about earthquake preparedness. All organizers ask is that participants register—so they can be counted and receive communications—and at the minimum practice “drop, cover, and hold on” at the specified time. Registration is free and open to the public.