There are four potential ShakeOut earthquake drill levels recommended for businesse; they range from Level 1 (simple drop, cover, and hold on) to Level 4, an advanced business operations simulation drill.

Great ShakeOut 2015 Set for Thursday

Nearly 19 million Americans, mostly Californians, are registered to participate, along with millions more worldwide.

More than 18.6 million Americans (including some 10 million Californians) and millions more worldwide will participate in The Great ShakeOut earthquake drills at 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 15. The other countries with a large number of registered participants, not surprisingly, are Japan, with more than 4 million, and New Zealand, with about 1.2 million, according to the event's website.

FEMA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, the American Red Cross, and several other organizations are major partners of the event. The Southern California Earthquake Center, an earthquake science and education center headquartered at the University of Southern California, is overseeing global coordination of the ShakeOut again this year, as it has since 2008, and it manages all ShakeOut websites (except in Japan).

ShakeOut 2015 resources for businesses, schools, and others are available here. There are four potential drill levels recommended for businesse; they range from Level 1 (a simple drop, cover, and hold on drill) to Level 4 (an advanced business operations simulation drill).

The Los Angeles Times reported last Friday that the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously that day to enact stronger seismic regulations that will require an estimated 15,000 buildings to be retrofitted – mainly concrete buildings and wood-frame apartment complexes built on top of carports. "More than 65 people died when these types of buildings collapsed during quakes in 1971 and 1994," Rong-Gong Lin II, Rosanna Xia, and Doug Smith reported.

SCEC's Jason Ballmann reported in August that California is using a new earthquake forecast model named UCERF3 (Third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast). He explained that overall, the state's chance of a moderate-sized earthquake has slightly decreased, but the change of a big quake (magnitude 8 or larger) has risen from 4.7 percent to 7 percent within the next 30 years, with the southern San Andreas "most likely to host such an event."

In a related development, U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Dr. Lucile Jones received the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal on Oct. 7, with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell presenting it, in recognition of Jones's earthquake research. Jones created the ShakeOut Scenario as an educational campaign that has spread across the globe. "Dr. Jones is a role model, not only for her scientific accomplishments at the U.S. Geological Survey but also for her public service to humanity," Jewell said. "Besides conducting leading research on earthquakes, she turns complex scientific concepts into plain English, educating the public so they can take action to save lives and property."

"I am humbled by this honor and grateful for the opportunities to serve the public for more than 30 years," said Jones, who started at USGS in 1983. "I believe it is our obligation as scientists to make information understandable to nonscientists so that it can be used to support others in making our country safer from inevitable natural disasters."

Product Showcase

  • Preventative Heat Safety

    Dehydration and heat exposure impair physical and cognitive performance. Proper hydration boosts heat stress resilience, but hydration needs are highly individualized and hard to predict across a workforce. Connected Hydration® empowers industrial athletes to stay safe through behavioral interventions, informed by sports science, and equips safety teams with critical insights to anticipate high-risk situations and adapt to evolving environmental factors. Curious about applying the latest in sports science based hydration strategies for industrial athletes? Stop by booth #1112 at AIHA or schedule a free demo today at https://epcr.cc/demo. Read More

  • Glove Guard® Clip

    Safety should never be compromised, especially when it comes to proper glove usage. The Glove Guard® clip enhances safety by encouraging employees to keep their gloves with them at all times. This reduces the risk of accidents and injuries on the job. By ensuring everyone has their gloves readily available, we help promote a culture of safety and efficiency. The Glove Guard® clip is designed to withstand the toughest work environments. Constructed from robust materials made in the USA, it can endure extreme conditions, including harsh weather, and rigorous activities. Read More

  • HAZ LO HEADLAMPS

    With alkaline or rechargeable options, these safety rated, Class 1, Div. 1 Headlamps provide long runtime with both spot and flood options in the same light. Work safely and avoid trip hazards with flexible hands-free lighting from Streamlight. Read More

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars