Ag Community Asked to Prepare for the Big One

Thursday is the Great Shakeout.  Residents across the Northwest are asked to join millions of other who will practice dropping, covering and holding in the event of a large earthquake.  In addition to the Thursday drill, you are asked to make sure your home is prepared with emergency water, medicine and other supplies for up to 14 days.  Maximilian Dixon with the Washington Military Department says it’s important that rural Washingtonians prepare an emergency kit, but also prepare for downed infrastructure.

“There’s going to be a huge need for sheltering people and for transporting people that are injured to hospital facilities, from moving people from the westside to the east.  So there’s going to be  a lot of people that are going to have to have to think about housing temporarily.”

Dixon says in a large scale disaster, Central and Eastern Washington may go weeks before help is available, so it is important to prepare now.  For more tips on being prepared during this year’s Great Shake Out,visit the Great Shake Out's Website.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com