Nearly 700,000 Hoosiers registered to participate in the 2015 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill – the most out of 14 states in the Central U.S. region.
The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is an opportunity for participants from Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Louisiana, Iowa, and Tennessee to practice what to do in an earthquake. More than 3 million people in the Central U.S. registered for this year’s ShakeOut, and worldwide registrations topped 40 million.
Indiana’s 2015 total for ShakeOut registrations represents a significant increase from 2014, when 485,000 Hoosiers registered.
Indiana is exposed to a serious threat of earthquakes along the New Madrid Seismic Zone – located 180 miles southwest of Evansville — and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone, which encompasses parts of Southeastern Illinois and Southwestern Indiana.
Practicing what to do ahead of time is critical to earthquake safety, and the ShakeOut educates participants on how to get prepared. In the event of an earthquake, Hoosiers should drop, take cover under a sturdy object like a desk or table and hold on until the shaking stops. Those unable to drop due to a disability or other condition should get as low as possible and protect the head and neck.
Indiana’s participants came from local and state government organizations, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, public libraries, businesses, healthcare facilities, and youth organizations, among several others.
For information on how to prepare for an earthquake, visit GetPrepared.in.gov. IDHS is on Twitter @IDHS and Facebook at www.facebook.com/IndianaDHS.
