A few weeks ago we participated in an emergency preparedness drill. We were to act as if our area suffered a major earthquake. Like many areas where major fault lines run underneath us, it's good to be prepared, but unlike other quake-prone areas, we don't get a lot of small earthquakes, a la California or Japan. It seems we're living in a place where we either have no earthquakes, or a really really big one.
We began by hearing a recording play over the speakers. We heard a rumbling sound with a message telling us that we were not experiencing an earthquake. Our job--get under our desks.
From there we took the stairs and then exited the building. We gathered across the street and waited for the "all clear" so we could return to work. The last time we did this I took out my good camera and snapped a lot of pictures. I was pleased with those shots. It was a lot of fun. This time I just took my phone.
The state spent a lot of money to put on this exercise. I believe all state buildings along the Wasatch Front took part as well as many non-government organizations. How effective was the drill? It's hard to say. I suppose practicing what you'll do in an emergency is helpful. I just don't know--if the damage is as bad as some say it will be when "the big one" hits--it might not make any difference.
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