CWU to participate in International ShakeOut Day on October 19

Central Washington University Emergency Management will test its RAVE Alert mass notification system on Thursday, October 19, during International ShakeOut Day.

More than 50 million people worldwide, and 1.25 million in Washington state alone, will participate in the earthquake safety drill. A RAVE Alert notification will be delivered at 10:19 a.m. Thursday via text, email, and phone call to everyone in the CWU community who has signed up for RAVE Alert.

The alert message will read: “This is a TEST of Central Washington University’s emergency alert system. This is only a TEST.”

ShakeOut Day started in California in 2008 and has since been organized in dozens of other states and countries. Official ShakeOut Regions require significant local or regional coordination, typically by an emergency management agency or an alliance of many organizations, such as CWU Emergency Management.

Washington state is home to five active volcanoes in the Cascade Range and is one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the U.S., with hundreds of earthquakes occurring every year.

Most of these earthquakes are so small they can only be detected by sensitive instruments. However, a number of damaging earthquakes have occurred in Washington during the past 130 years, and through proactive planning, we can all be prepared in case of emergency.

The danger and risks of earthquakes can be reduced if people know what actions to take before, during, and after an earthquake. Earthquake safety tips are available on the shakeout.org website.

CWU is required to perform annual testing of our mass notification system under the federal Clery Act. If you have questions about International ShakeOut Day, email cwuclery@cwu.edu.