B.C. residents prepare for “ShakeOut” earthquake drills

B.C. residents have one more month to prepare for The Great British Columbia ShakeOut, a province-wide earthquake preparedness drill.

Individuals, families, schools, churches and other groups will “drop, cover and hold on” at 10:18am on Oct. 18 for the drill, which is meant to bring attention to earthquake preparedness.

ShakeOut drills are held worldwide, including in many parts of the United States, New Zealand and major cities such as Tokyo. In 2011, 12.5 million people registered for ShakeOut events.

The event’s website has resources and information for participants to learn how to run various drills, including advanced operation simulation drills.

“While potential earthquake hazards depend on your location, everywhere in British Columbia is considered at high risk in relation to the rest of Canada,” according to the ShakeOut B.C. website www.shakeoutbc.ca.

Earlier this year, the B.C. government also announced plans to work more closely with Washington state in the U.S. for earthquake preparedness, including coordinated responses during an event.

B.C.’s ShakeOut is held in partnership with Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and energy company Fortis BC.