Register now for the Great Oregon Shakeout, the largest earthquake drill in history and join thousands of Oregonians in making earthquake safety a priority. The ShakeOut is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 10:16 a.m., when residents around the state will “drop, cover, and hold on” for one minute. “Participating in the ShakeOut is an easy way to practice what you would do in an earthquake,” said Kim Lippert, Public Information Officer for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. There are many ways to participate this year including a “ShakeOut Selfie contest” sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. Have your camera ready when you “drop, cover and hold on” during the ShakeOut drill. Snap a shot of yourself taking part in the drill and post on Twitter and tag @RedCrossCascade using the hashtag #ShakeOutSelfie, and you will be eligible to win a free emergency kit. Oregon is located in the Cascadia Subduction Zone a fault line stretching from off shore British Columbia to California. Experts predict a major 9.0 or higher earthquake could strike our state at any time. “It’s only a matter of time before a large earthquake hits Oregon, by preparing now you can increase your chances of survival later,” said Althea Rizzo, Geologic Hazards Program Coordinator for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. As you get ready to ShakeOut, don’t forget to share the preparedness steps you take on social media, via email, or in person with your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. What you provide as an example could help teach another person what to do, which could save their life! Register for the Shakeout here: www.shakeout.org/oregon More information on the ShakeOut selfie contest can be found here: http://www.redcross.org/news/article/or/portland/Great-ShakeOut-Selfies-Contest-2014
