Vancouver earthquake: reminder to prepare

King County Executive Dow Constantine encourages citizens to be prepared

Many King County and West Coast residents felt the earth move under their feet Friday afternoon, September 9, 2011, the result of a preliminary magnitude 6.4 earthquake centered off Vancouver Island.

While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports little damage and no threat of a tsunami, the event came just hours after King County Executive Dow Constantine issued a media release calling on all residents to make a personal commitment to prepare now for the unexpected.

There are many steps individuals and businesses can take to reduce the effects of a disaster, including:

• making a family emergency plan,
• assembling an emergency kit,
• registering for public alert systems,
• getting involved locally through volunteer groups such as the American Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Teams, and community-based organizations.

For more information, visit the King County web page 

September is National Preparedness Month