Many of us in North Carolina felt shaking last year after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Mineral, Virginia.  We all learned that day that you don’t have to live on the West Coast to experience an earthquake.

It’s equally important for our part of the country to be prepared for earthquakes because it only takes one to cause serious, even catastrophic, damage.   That’s why Governor Bev Perdue recently proclaimed this Thursday, October 18, as Earthquake Preparedness Day, and North Carolinians will be among the nearly 1.5 million participating in the Great Southeast ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:18 a.m. that morning. 

While the drill includes simple steps—drop, cover and hold on—they are critical during a real earthquake.  Even minor earthquakes can cause objects and debris to fall and these steps can help us avoid serious injuries. 

We also have to remember that we may not be anywhere close to home when an earthquake strikes.  Many of us travel to more earthquake prone areas while we’re vacationing, visiting friends and family, or taking business trips. Preparing for hazards that exist where you’re visiting is just as important as preparing for hazards that exist at home.

We can’t predict when the next earthquake will strike, but drills like the Great Southeast ShakeOut will help us get ready. We should all practice the steps now so we’ll know how to react if the ground starts shaking. Please join me and sign up to participate at www.shakeout.org/southeast.

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Other ShakeOut blog posts

• Workplace Preparedness and the Great ShakeOut
  Paulette Aniskoff, Director, Individual and Community Preparedness Division
• We Must be Prepared. Even for Earthquakes.
  Buddy Harris, North Carolina Central University
• ShakeOut and my school
  Gabriela Rodriguez, FEMA Youth Preparedness Council
• “Go One Step Further” and the Great ShakeOut
  Bob Boyd, Chief Executive Officer, Agility Recovery Solutions
• South Carolina’s Faults due for a ShakeOut
  Derrec Becker, South Carolina Emergency Management Division