Have you heard about the SHAKEOUT? Tomorrow April 17th at 10:15 am hundreds of thousands of Utahns will "Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in The Great Utah ShakeOut, our largest earthquake drill ever!
Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill. Major earthquakes may happen anywhere you work, live, or travel in Utah. The ShakeOut is our chance to practice how to protect ourselves, and for everyone to become prepared. The goal is to prevent a major earthquake from becoming a catastrophe for you, your family and community.
Why is a “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drill important? As with anything, to act quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake before strong shaking knocks you down, or something falls on you. Millions of people across the country have participated in ShakeOut drills since 2008. Utahns will join the activity this 2012 as part of a statewide earthquake response exercise.
Everyone can participate!
Individuals, families, business , schools, colleges, government agencies and organizations are invited to register. http://www.shakeout.org/utah/
The more our children can be prepared the better. Make sure you check out there website and read below the benefits of practicing before a natural disaster.
Children experience trauma and fear during a natural disaster.
If they know what to do during a disaster because they have practiced family disaster drills, they will be better off. When parents are calm, children calm down more quickly.Before a disaster, parents can:
- Familiarize yourself with the emergency response plans of schools and/or daycare your children attend.
- Find out if the school/daycare will keep your kids or send them home in an emergency.
- Decide if your child gets into your home if you are not there.
- Decide if your children take care of themselves or if a neighbor takes care of them.
- Develop and practice a family disaster plan.
- Teach children how to recognize danger signals.
- Explain how to call for help (911).
- Help children memorize important family information.
- Help children memorize their street address, not the PO Box.
- Include children's toys and special foods in 72-HOUR KIT.
Parents can help minimize their children's fears by:
- Keeping the family together; do not leave children with relatives or friends - take your children with you.
- Calmly and firmly explain the situation and your plans.
- Talk to your children at eye level.
- Encourage children to talk about the disaster and ask questions.
- Include children in recovery activities by giving them chores that will help them feel they are helping things get back to normal.
- Reassure children with firmness and love.
- Sympathize with and resolve their anxieties.
- Hold your children and spend more time with them.
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