Maple Ridge residents urged to practise earthquake safety on Oct. 15

Maple Ridge residents are encouraged to take part in the Great BC ShakeOut earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10:15 a.m. The annual province-wide exercise gives people a chance to practise what to do during an earthquake at home, work, school or in the community, and to review emergency plans, supplies and steps to take after the shaking stops.

Practise Drop, Cover and Hold On: drop to the ground; if you use a wheelchair or walker, lock the wheels. Cover your head and neck with your arms and, if possible, get under a sturdy desk or table. If no shelter is nearby, move to an inside corner and protect your head and neck. Hold on to your shelter and wait or count to 60 seconds after the shaking stops. Do not run outside or to another room when shaking starts. After the drill, look for anything at home, in a classroom or at work that could fall, block an exit or create a hazard.

Residents can register for the Great BC ShakeOut and find drill resources, including sound effects and preparedness information, at ShakeOutBC.ca (http://www.shakeoutbc.ca/).

The City is also offering free Be Earthquake Ready workshops to help residents prepare before an emergency. Participants will learn about earthquake risks in British Columbia, household emergency plans, emergency kits and practical ways to make their homes and families safer. The next sessions are Monday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Both will be held in the Fraser Room at Maple Ridge Public Library, 22470 Dewdney Trunk Road. Registration is required at MapleRidge.ca/EmergencyReadiness (https://www.mapleridge.ca/EmergencyReadiness.).

Residents can take several practical steps now: make or update a household emergency plan, including arrangements for pets and livestock; build and maintain emergency supplies for at least 72 hours to one week; check for hazards at home or work and secure items that could fall, such as bookcases, TVs, mirrors and heavy pictures; and learn how to safely turn off water, gas and electricity if needed. Residents can sign up for Alert Maple Ridge through the Alertable app to receive City-issued emergency alerts and instructions at MapleRidge.ca/Alert (https://www.mapleridge.ca/community-safety/alert-maple-ridge).

For more information on emergency readiness, email EmergencyProgram@MapleRidge.ca. The media contact is Pardeep Purewal, senior manager of corporate communications and public engagement, at 604-466-4319, 778-955-4249 or Media@MapleRidge.ca.