ItB次元官网网址檒l be all shake, rattle and roll on Oct. 18 as businesses, schools and households prepare for the B次元官网网址渂ig oneB次元官网网址� with the Great B.C. Shake Out.
The annual event encourages companies, organizations and households to think about their level of preparedness in the event of a large earthquake and to take some time out of their day at 10:18 a.m. to practise taking cover.
Employees at the school board office will be climbing under their desks too and practising a mock evacuation. Human resources administration assistant Alison Makkinga said the office has participated for a couple of years now and said it is a helpful procedure to go through.
B次元官网网址淓very time we do it we figure out something else we should have done or could have done,B次元官网网址� Makkinga said.
Many schools in School District 62 are also taking part in the event and students will be scrambling under their desks to simulate their reaction to a real quake. Two schools, John Muir and Millstream elementary schools, are going so far as to practise a student release drill, where parents who are able to participate will come to pick up their children as would happen after a real earthquake. Those two schools will hold their drills at the end of the day.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something we havenB次元官网网址檛 practised and we know we need to record whoB次元官网网址檚 there and keep track of whoB次元官网网址檚 picking the people up and where are they going,B次元官网网址� Makkinga said. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e hoping to learn a lot about how to make that all smoother.B次元官网网址�
Many schools already have supplies stockpiled in case of not being able to leave the building, most of which is prepared by Parent Advisory Committees. Makkinga said increasing earthquake preparedness isnB次元官网网址檛 in the budget right now, but it is still on everyoneB次元官网网址檚 mind.
LangfordB次元官网网址檚 director of Emergency Support Services, Tom Burchill, said the Shake Out is a great way to spread the word about earthquake preparedness, especially as its promotional materials are paid for by the province.
Burchill said the first thing every household should consider is securing their hot water tanks, because in the case of an emergency it can be a great source for water. Second to that Burchill recommends securing objects around the house that could fall during a quake, such as bookshelves and paintings.
B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 a major disaster and they have to stay in their home for three or four days,B次元官网网址� Burchill said, B次元官网网址渟ecure hot water tank because thereB次元官网网址檚 40 gallons of water right there for you.B次元官网网址�
Another tip is to keep a pair of slippers or shoes beside your bed to help avoid stepping on glass if a quake happens during the night.
Shake Out is aiming for a goal of 600,000 participants. At the time of writing, with less than a week to go, 540,000 had registered. So far over 99,000 people are registered to participate in the Capital Regional District.
To register your home or business for the Shake Out visit shakeoutbc.ca.
