About 138,000 people in Pierce County and hundreds of thousands of others across Washington are better prepared for a major earthquake after participating in the Great Shakeout.
The earthquake-readiness drill Oct. 17 was organized by the state Emergency Management Division, the state Department of Natural Resources, and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The goal: Practice surviving and recovering from a big shaker.
In University Place, Bridgeport Place Assisted Living conducted a realistic drill with “scenarios on each floor – a gas leak in the kitchen, a fire in the gallery, and a manager trapped under a bookcase,” said Maringi Lloyd, community relations coordinator.
Practicing the duck, cover and roll technique, residents covered their heads “and held on. Those that could dropped, too. I’m super proud of everyone’s response,” Lloyd said.
Also among the organizations with a combined 138,504 individuals who registered for drills were Group Health, Franke Tobey Jones in Tacoma, Evergreen Eye Center in Federal Way, Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn, and numerous fire departments.