The 2012 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is less than a month away. Already, nearly 750,000 people are expected to participate! The ShakeOut will be held on February 7, 2012 at 10:15 a.m.* If you have not yet registered for 2012, we hope you will join us again to practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”, get prepared for earthquakes, and encourage others to participate. This year you can also expand your drill to include additional preparedness or response activities.
If you are not yet confirmed to participate, please take a moment to quickly renew your registration. By doing so, we may reach 1 million registered participants before the end of the year! You’ll also have more time to plan your drill by renewing early. To help you get ready for the 2012 ShakeOut, flyers, web banner images, drill broadcast recordings, and more are all updated and available on the ShakeOut Resources page.
Recent Earthquakes in Oklahoma
At 10:53 CDT on November 5, 2011 there was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake approximately 40 miles east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This earthquake followed a magnitude 4.7 event earlier in the day. Earthquakes are not unusual in Oklahoma, but they often are too small to be felt. Since 2008, the rate of earthquakes in Oklahoma has been on the rise. The M5.6 event is the largest recorded quake to hit the state in modern times.
The M5.6 earthquake was felt in several states throughout the region, including Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. It caused damage to both structural and non-structural building components in areas near the epicenter. To date, more than 60,000 people have reported feeling the earthquake on the US Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It?” website.
These recent earthquakes remind us that there is no “earthquake season”. Earthquakes can, and usua lly do, happen when we least expect them. Now is the time to get prepared, before the next earthquake or other disaster strikes. Remember, if you feel an earthquake, the appropriate response is “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”
ShakeOut Receives Preparedness Award
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that the 2011 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is to be honored with a 2011 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Award for “Outstanding Drill, Exercise, or Event”. The Individual and Community Preparedness Awards recognize the innovative practices and achievements of organizations and individuals that work to make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to manage any emergency situation. This year’s winners were selected from across 36 States, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The applications reflected the full breadth of the Whole Community, with submissions from faith-based, tribal, non-profit, private sector, and community-based organizations, as well as individuals.
The ShakeOut was recognized for its efforts to involve more than 3 million people during April 2011 in the first ever Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. ShakeOut representatives will join other honored guests an awards ceremony and discussion forum in Washington, D.C. in January. For more about the awards, visit the Citizen Corps website.
Share the ShakeOut
Although the 2012 ShakeOut is less than two months away, we’ll be sharing and discussing information until then via social media. To stay up-to-date, follow the ShakeOut on Twitter and Facebook. Additionally, please share the ShakeOut with your friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and encourage them to participate as well. With your help, how many people will participate in 2012?
*While the official date of the ShakeOut is February 7, 2012, you may hold your drill at another time if you have scheduling conflicts.
