PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA -  Long Beach’s Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is encouraging all residents to take part in the annual Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill happening at 10:21 a.m. Thursday, October 21. The disaster drill is an opportunity for the public to prepare and practice what to do in the event of a major earthquake. 

“Everyone should familiarize themselves with techniques to help prepare for an earthquake,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “I encourage residents to participate in this drill at home, at work or wherever you may be. We must all do our part to prepare ourselves and our families now so that we can save lives later.”

To take part in the Great ShakeOut, joining millions of people worldwide at the designated time, Long Beach residents  can register online and should practice the following steps to reduce their chance of injury in a real disaster:

• DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees — the position protects you from being knocked down.

• COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand and, if possible, crawl under a sturdy table or desk for shelter.

• HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

Seniors, people with disabilities, and others with access and functional needs are encouraged to review the Earthquake Preparedness Guide for additional guidance before, during, and after an earthquake.

Organizations and places of business also are encouraged to organize their own Great ShakeOut drills, with a number of online manuals available as resources. 

“The recent 4.3 earthquake centered in the City of Carson serves as a reminder that earthquakes are the most probable natural hazard that can impact the City of Long Beach,” said Reggie Harrison, Director of the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications. “The Great ShakeOut helps us to not only practice our immediate response to an earthquake, but also to prepare our homes and businesses by securing large items that may fall when a big quake hits.”

 Besides participating in the Great ShakeOut, the City of Long Beach is encouraging the public to let the day serve as a reminder to take additional precautionary steps to prepare for an earthquake. Here are some helpful tips:

• Stay alert - Sign up for Alert Long Beach, the City’s emergency notification system, at alertlongbeach.com and learn basic emergency medical procedures.

• Prepare a go-bag - Residents should have a go-bag ready to evacuate when the need arises. The bag should contain essential items for individuals and their family members to be self-sustaining for up to five days.

• Get informed - Read the Earthquake Preparedness Guide, which includes best practices for personal preparedness, available in English and Spanish. 

• Share the news - Residents are encouraged to follow @lbdisasterprep on Facebook and Instagram and share earthquake preparedness content with friends and family.

Residents also cansign up toreceiveearly warning notifications of 4.5 magnitude earthquakes or higher in Los Angeles County by downloading the MyShake app. The service utilizes state-of-the-art ground motion monitoring to deliver warnings via cell phone. Warnings could range from seconds to tens of seconds before the strongest shaking starts, depending on proximity to the epicenter. 

Additional information on earthquakes and other disaster preparedness topics can be found at longbeach.gov/DisasterPreparedness. 

About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications
The mission of the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is to protect the lives and property of the community and first responders through comprehensive planning, training and communication to ensure that daily requests for emergency services, as well as response, recovery, and mitigation for major emergencies and disasters is completed in an effective and efficient manner.

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