Great American ShakeOut The time is now to start preparing for the ‘Big One’ Northwest Guardian

Where: Across the country and around the globe. The Great Washington ShakeOut information is online at: ShakeOut.org/washington. Sign up for the JBLM Alert online at: tinyurl.com/ya5xgzq4.

If you’ve ever been through an earthquake, you know the shake, rattle and rolling can last a few moments, but it might feel like much longer.

Most who live in an earthquake zone, such as the Pacific Northwest or anywhere along the west coast, have learned to “drop, cover and hold” under a large piece of furniture, such as a table or desk, and use one hand to hold onto a leg of the furniture for stability and the other arm and hand to protect and cover one’s head.

Most earthquake injuries don’t occur from the shaking; they occur from falling objects, such as falling chandeliers, according to Jerome Cone, emergency management exercise coordinator for JBLM’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

Cone is organizing JBLM’s participation in the Great American ShakeOut, set to occur Thursday at 10:19 a.m.

The annual event involves individuals, businesses, schools, agencies and other community groups across the country and around the globe. Individual states have their own drills planned, with more than one million participants already signed up in Washington alone. There are currently 37.4 million participants signed up around the globe.

Anyone could and should get involved and practice the Great ShakeOut drill, Cone said.

“When an earthquake happens, it takes muscle memory and knowledge to keep you safe,” Cone said, adding, that muscle memory includes knowing to drop, cover and hold.

Injuries can occur to people walking around while the Earth is shaking, said Chris Polit, DPTMS chief.

“Many ankle and leg injuries occur because the ground isn’t solid, and you take a step and the ground moves beneath you with a lot of force,” Polit said.

Although many people equate earthquakes with points south — such as California — Washington, Oregon and even British Columbia are along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where it’s not a matter of if the next “big one” will hit but when, according to Polit.

The largest documented quake in the Pacific Northwest was a 9.0 earthquake in 1700 along the Oregon coast. There have been many other quakes since, including the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake Feb. 28, 2001.

“The next big quake could be tomorrow, and it could be in 100 years,” Polit said. “It’s better to be prepared.”

Cone said there are numerous small — 1 to 2 on the Richter scale — quakes in the Northwest every day, but most people don’t notice those quakes.

“When it gets to about 3.7, they notice,” Polit said.

There are different strategies to commit to muscle memory, based on where you are when a quake occurs, according to Cone.

“If you are outdoors, find a clear spot — away from buildings, power lines and street lights,” Cone said.

If you are in your car, it’s safer to remain in the vehicle with your seat belt fastened, he said.

It’s also important to plan ahead and have pet food, medicines, food and water supplies for up to 14 days in the event of a major quake.

“Just like what’s happening in Puerto Rico right now — the utility grid is basically gone — we could be without power and supplies for weeks, months or even longer,” Polit said.

“With a big quake there could be five minutes of shaking, and that would destroy water pipes and anything underground,” he said.

Cone said a good way to prepare for an eventual earthquake is to take part in the Great American ShakeOut.

“It’s important to be prepared,” he said.