This morning’s annual Great Washington Shakeout is a good day to think about how prepared you are for a major emergency in the neighborhood.

The day will include earthquake drills at workplaces, schools, and residential buildings across Seattle and the state.

You might also use it to get involved with the Seattle Emergency Hub Network in your Capitol Hill or Central District neighborhood.

The Hub Network, modeled after successful disaster preparedness initiatives in New Zealand, operates on the principle of community resilience. It comprises over 140 designated meeting points or Hubs strategically located throughout Seattle. These Hubs are situated in geologically safe areas away from potential building collapses and in spaces where people naturally congregate, such as parks, grocery stores, or condominiums.

Each Hub is equipped with a metal “Hub Box” containing essential communication equipment. In the event of a disaster that disrupts communication channels, trained volunteers activate these Hubs, providing a central location for neighbors to share information and resources.

To ensure the effectiveness of their emergency response strategy, the Hub Network conducts regular practice exercises. This summer’s simulation in Homer Harris Park mirrored the challenges of a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hitting Seattle during a major event like the FIFA World Cup.

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.

The MyShake earthquake early warning system phone app funded by the state and created by seismologists at UC Berkeley is available to provide alerts in Washington.

It is also a good day to make sure your mobile device is set up to be part of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System The county also offers local emergency messages by cell phone, landline, and email via ALERT King County at kingcounty.gov/ALERTKingCounty.

You can sign up for City of Seattle alerts at alert.seattle.gov.

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