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Media invited to ShakeOut earthquake drill at Seattle’s Daniel Bagley Elementary School

Posted on Oct 13, 2022 By Washington Military Administrator

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact:

Steven Friederich, Public Information Officer for Washington Emergency Management Division, steven.friederich@mil.wa.gov or (253) 344-0253

Tina Riss Christiansen, Seattle Public Schools Communications Specialist at spsmedia@seattleschools.org or (206) 229-7726

Media invited to ShakeOut earthquake drill at Seattle’s Daniel Bagley Elementary School

The Great Washington ShakeOut takes place on Thursday, Oct. 20 and the Washington Emergency Management Division is once again partnering with Seattle Public Schools for media to take video of students participating in the earthquake drill.

Daniel Bagley Elementary School at 7821 Stone Ave N. near Green Lake will have a classroom available for video opportunities.

  • Members of the media MUST RSVP to the district media team at spsmedia@seattleschools.org.
  • Please meet at the main entrance on Stone Ave. N. at 9:30 a.m.
  • The drill is set for 10:20 a.m.

Experts will be on hand to answer questions.

  • Maximilian Dixon, the geologic hazards supervisor for the Washington Emergency Management Division, will be on site for interviews.
  • Seattle Public Schools assistant manager of safety and security Benjamin Coulter will be available to talk about school safety.

About the ShakeOut drill

Wherever you are at 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20, you’re invited to participate in the Great Washington ShakeOut. Drop, cover and hold on – the best way to protect yourself from falling debris during an earthquake. Practicing builds muscle memory for when the real earthquake comes.

More than 1.3 million people have registered to participate in the earthquake and tsunami drill so far. Registration isn’t required but it helps us with understanding how effective our outreach is. It’s also free and easy to register at https://www.shakeout.org/washington/.

In addition to the exercise, more than 120 Washington tsunami sirens along the inner and outer coast will be tested using the real wailing sound of a tsunami warning, not the Westminster Chimes that are typically used during the monthly tests. NOAA Weather Radios will also sound an alarm.

Please do not call 911.

For the first time, a test will also go out to those who have downloaded the FREE MyShake Earthquake Early Warning App on their phones. The test alert should include test audio telling people that this is a system test and no action is required. The MyShake App is powered the USGS ShakeAlert™ Earthquake Early Warning system and can provide a few seconds of warning before an actual earthquake hits. There will NOT be a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system or Android’s built-in earthquake alerts.

Earthquake Early Warning is a relatively new technology in Washington state, available to the public for about a year and a half. To find links to download the app and the three ways to get earthquake alerts on your phone in Washington, visit https://mil.wa.gov/alerts.