Of all the possible natural disasters that managers must help their facilities prepare for, earthquakes present possibly the most difficult challenge. They are nearly impossible to predict, they strike without warning, and they can produce catastrophic destruction quickly.
Nonetheless, managers in many institutional and commercial facilities must devote time and energy to preparing for the possibility of earthquake, given the widespread threat they present. What can facilities do to prepare? While earthquake preparation strategies can take several directions, a worldwide effort will take place designed to prompt action.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, millions of people around the world will participate in the annual Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. The drill serves as a yearly reminder to refine current response plans and to bring earthquake safety awareness to institutional and commercial facilities and other interested parties.
Managers can register as a participant and check out the organization’s preparedness guides and resources. Resources related to the Oct. 17 event and beyond cover such topics as: ShakeOut Drill Manual for Businesses; ShakeOut Drill Manual for Non Profits and Other Organizations; Countdown to ShakeOut for Organizations; Benefits to Participating Businesses, and Earthquake Safety in Stores. The organization ResilientWorkplace.org also offers: Seven Steps to a Resilient Workplace; Disaster Resilient Business Toolkit; and QuakeSmart Community Resilience Program.
Dan Hounsell is editor-in-chief of Facility Maintenance Decisions.
