Photo By Rochelle Smolinski | Cpl. Alecia Walker, separation and travel claims preparer, Finance office, takes cover...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - At precisely 10:18 a.m. Oct. 18, more than 14.6 million participants ducked for cover in a mock earthquake drill to improve earthquake preparedness.
The ShakeOut program, created in California in 2008, has been organized and coordinated in several states and countries’ emergency management systems.
While registration for this year’s drill was optional, program representatives still encouraged people to participate along with the drill at the designated time for practice measures. Marine Corps Base Hawaii stepped up and dropped down for a base-
wide exercise.
Jacqueline Freeland, base force protection officer, organized the ShakeOut and Leon Sims, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Enhanced Conventional Weapons protection officer, provided instructions over the loudspeaker during the drill.
“For the first (drill), I think it went over pretty well,” Sims said. “It gives people a better understanding of what to do during an earthquake and how to take precautions.”
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 and Mokapu Elementary School participated officially, while other units also rehearsed. The base finance office staff practiced their earthquake preparedness by ducking and covering under their work desks.
Cpl. Alecia Walker, separation and travel claims preparer, has weathered enough California quakes to know what to expect. She said it’s important people practice emergency procedures.
“You’re supposed to drop down and cover, but folks usually just go about their business in the smaller (earthquakes),” Walker said. “A big one will get everyone’s attention.”
The ShakeOut program promotes a “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” technique in which earthquake victims must drop to the ground, take cover under sturdy furniture such as a desk or table, and hold on to it until the shaking stops.
If you are not near a table or desk, the program recommends dropping, crawling to an inside corner of the room you’re in, and covering your head and neck with your hands. Falling objects are often the cause of earthquake deaths.
Master Sgt. Kelvin Brown, base finance chief, has also endured tremors in California and Okinawa, but didn’t take the smaller quakes seriously until he saw the property damage it caused. Now, he believes preparation is half the battle.
“You never know when it’s going to happen,” Brown said. “You never know if the drill is going to be for an air raid, tsunami, or earthquake, so you need to be prepared.”
According to http://www.shakeout.org, Hawaii is pending on the official list of additional areas considering ShakeOut drills. Sims said it was likely the base will execute another ShakeOut drill next year alongside their hurricane, tsunami, and Lethal Breeze exercises.
The Great ShakeOut website has a wealth of earthquake preparedness material, including how to secure items in households, recommended safety actions, and how to respond to an earthquake while asleep or in a car.
For more information about ShakeOut events, preparedness manuals, and safety tips, visit http://www.shakeout.org.
| Date Taken: | 10.18.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2012 18:56 |
| Story ID: | 97531 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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