USGS provides scientific foundation for "Shake 'n Quake" exercise

Tuesday Oct 20 2009 5:12 PM

When Pierce County holds its "Shake 'n Quake" earthquake exercise this week, the foundation participants will use is a scenario developed by U.S. Geological Survey scientists.

The magnitude 7.1 earthquake striking along the Tacoma fault line provides a starting point for a two-day drill expected to include more than 500 people and 50 agencies as the region prepares to test communication and coordination procedures between the State, cities, towns and first responder agencies. The drill will be held Oct. 21-22.

USGS scientists and technical staff in its Seattle and Golden, Colo. offices, together with partners at the University of Washington's Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), are providing simulated electronic notifications of events, maps of expected ground shaking, estimates of affected populations, informational fact sheets, and an online tool that permits ordinary citizens and responders to report and visualize how damage is distributed.

The USGS and PNSN worked with Pierce County in planning the exercise and conducted workshops for participants to provide background and to introduce the tools available to facilitate response. Those involved indicate exercises like this test capabilities and tools and provide feedback on how they can be improved, ultimately resulting in agencies being better prepared when a real earthquake occurs.

The exercise is part of a yearly requirement for Pierce County to hold at least one regional exercise to evaluate communications, demonstrate coordinated situational awareness collection, and disseminate information to the public.

For more information about the USGS and UW involvement, contact: Joan Gomberg, gomberg@usgs.gov or 206-941-7498; or Craig Weaver, craig@ess.washington.edu or 206-459-6457.

Here is a link to Pierce County's news release about the exercise.