PREPARE in a YEAR
October: EARTHQUAKE
Enter to win cabinet locks
Once you have completed this month’s task, fill out the form below and hit “Submit” by 4pm November 16th. The winner’s name will be drawn at the November 18th meeting. You don’t need to be at the meeting to win.
These cabinet locks can keep cabinets closed against at least 20 pounds of pressure, potentially keeping dishes, cookware, and food inside cabinets during an earthquake. Adults can operate the locks with one hand by pressing against the spring-loaded lock. These locks will also keep small children from opening cabinets that store cleaning supplies, medications, and other potentially hazardous materials.
Damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta 6.9-magnitude earthquake. The damage from a 9.0-magnitude earthquake could be much greater.
We live in earthquake country. Failure to prepare is downright silly. Here are some things to think about. Many of us have experienced an earthquake or have friends or family who have. The graphic below demonstrates the difference in magnitude between a 7.0 quake, which are typical of recent California quakes, and a 9.0, which occurred in Japan in 2011. The 1700 Cascadia quake is estimated to have been a 9.0, and we are overdue for the next one.
So this month, Prepare in a Year is about getting ready for the possibility of The Big One—not by worrying about it, but by doing a few things now that could make a very big difference later. We can:
Learn what to do when the shaking starts.
Make our homes safer.
Prepare our neighborhoods for the days and weeks afterward—when the first responders may be stretched thin and we may need to look after one another.
All this information and more is available on How to get prepared: Earthquake.
But before you do anything else, be sure you will receive early warning. Even a few seconds might enable you to move away from the danger of falling objects, or grab your beloved and pull them to safety.
Apps: Get the MyShake app from the App Store (iOS devices) or Google Play (Android devices).
Cell Phone Operating Systems: Android and iOS have built-in Earthquake Early Warning alerting.
Learn more
Island County: Where Are My Hazards?
Submit your information
Enter to win child-safe latches for securing cabinets. Do the two REQUIRED activities plus at least two from the second list to enter. Submit by 4pm November 16th.