This Saturday, May 9th, Seattle Neighborhood Hubs and the ACS/Hubs Communications Service are holding earthquake exercises in locations across Seattle, including one at the West Queen Anne Playfield.
The drill runs from 5pm to 10pm, with staging by neighborhood emergency communications teams, amateur radio emergency communication teams, and volunteers. They’ll act out a scenario of a major earthquake with ongoing aftershocks. To add even more of a challenge, the drill will include a gathering storm as the evening hours approach.
Saturday’s exercise is designed to be similar to an earthquake on a scale similar to the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake – a 9.2 magnitude earthquake that would destroy buildings, and leave us with no electricity and unusable roads and bridges. In the scenario, the regular communications system would be incapacitated with no cell service, Internet, or power. Here’s a video from the USGS of the Great Alaskan Earthquake:
Per the Seattle Auxiliary Communication Service (ACS), anyone can participate in the drill. Here are the two ways you can take part:
- Be a “citizen actor” in preparedness drill for a disaster in the Seattle area. ACS needs people who can drop in for a time (not necessarily all 5 hours) and play the role of a citizen in need. ACS provides the scripts for you to use. Sign up here.
- Become a Neighborhood Hub volunteer and get on-the-job training at the upcoming drill. Stop by Saturday’s drill to talk with the organizers.
You can learn about the plan for our community at the Magnolia Interbay Queen Anne Emergency Preparedness Committee (MIQA EPC) web site or stop by the West Queen Anne Playfields this Saturday evening between 5pm and 10pm to take part in the preparations.