California knows its earthquakes. An earthquake early warning system phone app funded by the state and created by seismologists at UC Berkeley is now available to provide alerts in Washington — now that it is juiced up to handle tsunamis.
MyShake can provide warnings in the seconds before earthquakes hit so you can seek cover and move away from dangers like windows. The system also organizes damage reports users can share.
Alerts based on information from the USGS ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system are already available to all mobile phones through the Wireless Emergency Alert system and through a built-in-earthquake alerting system on Android devices. Most phones are now set up to receive alerts from the system automatically. Apple devices use the federal Wireless Emergency Alert system which also delivers AMBER and tsunami alerts. You can double check the setup in your notification settings under “emergency alerts” and “public safety alerts.” For Android devices, check your location settings under “advanced” to turn on “earthquake alerts.”
MyShake now provides a third option that “may be a faster way for users to get an earthquake alert on their phones than the WEA system,” the announcement from the Washington Emergency Management Division said.
While Seattle is still largely unprepared for a huge quake, the city is getting closer to requiring retrofits of its highest risk brick buildings including 49 around Capitol Hill and the Central District. A new plan, meanwhile, will test a solar microgrid system at Capitol Hill’s Miller Community Center that is designed to give the facility greater resiliency in the event of natural disasters and the Hill’s Lowell Elementary School received a $260,000 seismic retrofit.
In recent years, Seattle officials have shifted advice for city dwellers for being prepared for the next big quake from having enough supplies for three days to “a more realistic” seven to ten days. Kits should include one gallon of water per person per day, food, a light source, and a first aid kit.
You can learn more about all the early warning options at mil.wa.gov/alerts.
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