Photo by Bas Greerlings 0n Pexels
By Morgan Stevens
In February of 2001, an earthquake in western Washington caused chaos and disorder. Registering at 6.8 magnitude, the Nisqually earthquake brought billions of dollars of damage to businesses and homes or Washington State residence. A report form the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that 8 people were killed that day by fallen debris. Washington has since started to become more prepared for instances like this in the future.
The Great Washington ShakeOut is a program that has been started to prepare people in Washington for major earthquakes. The shakeout is held every October on the third Thursday of the month. During this drill people are supposed to stop where they are, take cover under something like a sturdy table or door frame then hold that position for at least one minute. Earthquakes can occur during this drill by chance, but it does does not predict an earthquake it is only for practice.
On February 17, 2021, 20 earthquakes took place near Mount Rainier that afternoon. Although they were no larger than 2.5 magnitude and were not felt at the surface, they were still recorded. According to the United States Geological Survey, these size and multitude of earthquakes happen once of twice a year around Mount Rainier. The USGS not only monitors the tectonic earthquakes, but they also monitor Ice quakes.
Washington State Emergency Management Division recommends following these three steps to prepare for earthquakes: learn hazards, have a plan, and build kits. When learning your hazards, it is recommended to do research about how people could possibly be affected if an earthquake were to happen locally. Making a plan gives people peace of mind. Washington State Department of Health suggests that people should also anchor down fermeture that could move and potentially harm someone. By doing these things, Washington state residents will be able to know what to do right away instead of scrambling to figure out what and how to do something. Disaster kits are also helpful. Inside these usually includes, food, water, clothes, medical supplies, sanitation materials, and any medication if needed. These should be made to last a minimum of two weeks. By learning and doing these three steps, it will help to keep the people of Washington safer when earthquakes do happen.
Washington state is taking more steps to help keep its residents safer and more prepared for earthquakes in the future. An earthquake early warning system is set to be released to Washingtonians in May of 2021. Every second matters before an earthquake. This new alert system will save lives when big earthquakes such as the one in 2001, happen. The new shake alert system measures earthquakes in real time then alerts everyone. California has already had access to this system in 2019. When this is implemented and an alert comes out, people will be able to stop where they are, find cover and then stay there until the threat is gone. This is why it is important for people to practice during the Great Washington ShakeOut and to remember the ways they can get prepared. By doing this, it ensures the safety of everyone.
