All coastal warning sirens along the Washington State coast are scheduled to sound during an annual drill Thursday, October 18th, called The Great ShakeOut, part of a worldwide earthquake preparedness exercise. According to Washington Emergency Management Division (WEMD), this will be the first time all coastal sirens in Washington state will sound during the annual exercise.
On October 18th at 10:18am, the sirens will sound using the real sound of the siren, not the Westminster Chimes tune that is typically played during monthly tests according to WEMD officials. During previous ShakeOut drills, some jurisdictions had opted out, but all of the sirens are scheduled to be activated for this year’s exercise.
Whatcom County coastal sirens are located in Point Roberts, Blaine, Birch Bay, Lummi Peninsula (2), Sandy Point and Bellingham.
“Practicing drop, cover and hold on skills on a regular basis builds muscle memory so when an earthquake does hit, you’ll know instinctively what to do,” said Robert Ezelle, director of the WEMD. “We also want residents to take a look at your emergency kits. It’s important that you’re two weeks ready, not just for earthquakes, but big storms and power outages.”
Click for more information
Click for more informationFerndale area residents can participate in a months-long Whatcom County Mount Baker eruption scenario exercise culminating on Thursday. The Volunteer Mobilization Center (VMC), in partnership with Ferndale Emergency Resource Network (FERN), will be hosting a volunteer reception center at the Pioneer Park Pavilion Community Center. According to VMC Executive Director Terri Temple, “This is the same thing we would do during a disaster to register, vet and match volunteers to unmet needs within the County. We are looking for folks to go through the process and see how it’s done, what types of opportunities there will be and help us improve our process and training.”
The volunteer reception center will be open from 11am to 2pm. The process should take about 30 minutes. Refreshments will be available.
When ShakeOut began in 2008, it was a one-time drill held in southern California. The event has evolved into millions participating in the exercise and drills each year around the world.