Emergency preparedness: Great Wyoming ShakeOut ‘21

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Earthquakes can and do occur in Teton County, Wyoming. From smaller 3- and 4-magnitude shakers to a major 7M, Jackson Hole could experience an earthquake anytime, anywhere.

Teton County Emergency Management, along with Federal Emergency Management Agency and US Geological Survey, have classified Wyoming as having a very high seismic hazard. Add to this the fact that most earthquakes in Wyoming occur in the western third of the state near the Yellowstone volcanic system, and, well, it’s best to be prepared.

With earthquakes an inevitable part of our future, anyone who lives or works in Teton County should make plans and take actions to ensure that a disaster like a large earthquake does not become a catastrophe. A great way to increase earthquake preparedness is to practice the actions you would take during a real earthquake.

Held annually on the third Thursday of October, the Great ShakeOut is set for Thursday, October 21, 2021.  During the self-led drill, participants practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”  Endorsed by emergency officials and first responders, the safe response to an earthquake is to:

DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked over while the ground is shaking.

• • Do not try to move more than 5-7 feet before getting on the ground.
  • If you are indoors, do not go outside or under a doorway.

COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand, then:

• • Crawl underneath a nearby, sturdy desk or table.
  • If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows, hanging objects, tall furniture, and large appliances).
  • Stay bent over to protect vital organs.

HOLD ON until shaking stops.

• • Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts.
  • No shelter: cover your head and neck with both arms and hands.

The Great ShakeOut is free and open to everyone. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to register online. Once registered, participants receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.

The Great Wyoming ShakeOut is coordinated by Teton County Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and dozens of other partners. ShakeOut is coordinated globally by the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California.