Aloha State News

HONOLULU — “Drop! Cover! Hold On!” Those three simple steps can help save lives and prevent injuries in the case of an earthquake, and Hawai‘i will have a chance to practice them this week.

There’s still time to register for The Great Hawai‘i ShakeOut, happening October 20th at 10:20 a.m. HST. The international earthquake preparedness drill aims to raise awareness of earthquake safety, encouraging everyone to practice the three safety steps during a simulated earthquake at their workplace, school, or home.

The drill is held simultaneously across each time zone, and the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) invites everyone in Hawai‘i to join in — on 10/20, at 10:20 a.m. More than 24,000 people have signed up so far, and HI-EMA has been running a social media campaign to encourage even more people to #DropCoverHoldOn. 

Earthquakes are one of many hazards we face in Hawai‘i, as a recent 5.0 temblor near Pāhala on the Big Island reminded us, but we may not be as prepared for them as we are for hurricane and tsunami hazards. While the volcanoes on the Big Island produce hundreds of small tremors, the seismic activity can also produce large quakes that are capable of causing damage statewide.

“We may only have seconds to protect ourselves when an earthquake happens,” said Luke Meyers, administrator of HI-EMA. “Much of the danger comes from debris and falling objects, not the shaking of the earthquake alone. Practicing how to respond when a quake strike helps us stay safe.” 

For more information and to register to participate, visit https://www.shakeout.org/hawaii/index.html. For more resources on how to plan, promote, and run an earthquake drill at your workplace, school, or home, scan the QR code below.

Original source can be found here.