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North Carolina | Oct 16th proclaimed as Earthquake Preparedness Day

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Governor Pat McCrory has proclaimed October 16 as Earthquake Preparedness Day and is encouraging North Carolina families, business and schools to practice how to protect themselves in an earthquake by using three simple steps: drop, cover and hold.

“Although rare, earthquakes do happen in North Carolina, so it is always best to be prepared,” McCrory said. “This year, the state has already experienced four minor earthquakes. While those were mild, we remember the impacts from the Virginia earthquake three years ago. Knowing what to do will help keep you safe.”

An estimated 100 million people felt the earthquake in Mineral, Virginia on August 23, 2011 that damaged homes and buildings in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

If you feel shaking, emergency management and earthquake officials recommended that you:

  • Drop to the ground
  • Take cover under a sturdy desk or table
  • Hold on to the desk until the shaking stops.
  • If there is no table or desk nearby, crouch in an inside corner of a building and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.
  • Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, bookshelves, lamps, TVs, cabinets and other objects as much as possible. Such items may fall and cause injuries.

Do not get in a doorway. It is not safe and does not protect you from falling or flying objects.

Do not run outside. Running in an earthquake is dangerous. The ground is moving making it easy to fall or be injured by falling structures, trees, debris or glass. If you are outside during an earthquake, move to a clear area that is away from trees, signs, buildings or downed electrical lines.

McCrory encouraged North Carolinians to join the other Southeastern states and Washington, D.C., in the third Great SouthEast ShakeOut earthquake exercise, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16 at 10:16 a.m.

Families, businesses and schools can register their participation at www.shakeout.org/southeast. Participants will be notified of events in their area and receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.

More earthquake preparedness tips can be found online at www.ReadyNC.org. North Carolinians can also download the free ReadyNC mobile app – available for both iPhone and Droid devices – that provides real-time weather and traffic alerts plus readiness tips for a variety of emergencies.

“Ground shaking from earthquakes typically lasts only a minute or two, but aftershocks can continue for several days,” said North Carolina’s Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry.  “It only takes a few minutes to rehearse what to do in such an emergency.”


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