Great Shakeout October Earthquake Drill Tops 160,000 Participants in Washington

Olympia, WA - More than 160,000 Washington residents have signed up to join West Coast neighbors in Oregon, Idaho, California and British Columbia in the Great Shakeout earthquake drill on Oct. 18 at 10:18 a.m.
“Millions of West Coast state residents will participate in the simultaneous “Drop, Cover, Hold drill which will emphasize the importance of emergency preparedness at home, school and the work-place,” said John Schelling, earthquake and tsunami program manager for the Washington Emergency Division of the Washington Military Department.
“As part of the Washington ShakeOut, all participants are encouraged not only to Drop, Cover, and Hold On, but take at least one additional step to ready themselves and their families for earthquakes,” Schelling added.
As part of the Great Washington Shakeout, residents in the outer coastal counties of Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor and Pacific are also encouraged to practice walking their tsunami evacuation routes. 

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The annual Tsunami Warning Siren test will coincide with the Great ShakeOut drill and warning loudspeakers will be activated using the actual warning tone from the Washington State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray.
Washington State residents can register for the drill at the exercise web site:
http://www.shakeout.org/washington/
“Earthquakes are a hazard throughout the state and the Pacific Coast and Puget Sound can experience a tsunami at any time,” Schelling said. “The Great Shakeout drill can boost public awareness of the state’s earthquake and tsunami hazards while demonstrating the important of emergency preparedness for families, schools, and businesses across Washington.”
For more information about Great Shakeout, please contact:
 John Schelling, WEMD earthquake, tsunami and volcano program manager, Washington Emergency Management Division, 253-512-7084 or <john.schelling@mil.wa.gov >
 Rosanne, Garrand, WEMD public education program coordinator, 253-512-7419 or at Rosanne.Garrand@mil.wa.gov
 Rob Harper, WEMD public information officer, rob.harper@mil.wa.gov