Great ShakeOut in Pasadena Oct. 18

At 10:18 a.m., Thursday, October 18, the public, schools, businesses, local, county and state government agencies are being asked to participate in the statewide “Great ShakeOut,” an earthquake drill to help improve emergency preparedness and practice how to be safe during earthquakes.  See online info at www.shakeout.org/california/.

The Pasadena Fire and Police Departments also want to remind you that the drill is the perfect opportunity to make an emergency kit and a family disaster-response plan.

Being prepared for earthquakes that geologists agree will eventually come—most likely without warning—could make the difference between life and death.

The Pasadena Fire Department provides a wealth of information on the city’s website at www.cityofpasadena.net/disaster about how to plan ahead and take reasonable precautions now to help you, your family and loved ones survive both during and after a serious earthquake or other disaster.  All residents should have emergency supplies, including “Go Kits” and evacuation plans, for their family and pets to help survive the first few days following a major disaster.

To arrange for a Pasadena Fire Department disaster preparedness presentation for your business, organization or group, contact the City’s Emergency Management Coordinator Lisa Derderian, Pasadena Fire Department, at (626) 744-7276.

You can also watch an informative, 12-minute disaster preparedness video posted at www.cityofpasadena.net/Disaster_Preparedness_Video/.  Thanks to Pasadena’s Accessibility and Disability Commission, this important emergency preparedness video has been updated and is now available in English and Spanish, with captions and audio descriptions in both English and Spanish. 

Pasadena’s emergency management officials urge all residents to sign up for emergency alerts from the City’s “Pasadena Local Emergency Alert System”—PLEAS.  PLEAS uses both text and voice messages to keep Pasadena’s residents and businesses informed in case of emergencies.  Subscribers receive a message with the latest information and safety instructions.  Go to www.cityofpasadena.net/Fire/PLEAS/ to register today.

The next step is to sign up for Nixle alerts from the Pasadena Police Department.  Go to www.nixle.com, create a free account and enter your email and/or cell phone numbers and determine the geographic area you want to receive information about.  Using these two automated alert systems will help ensure you have the latest emergency info from Pasadena’s Public Safety Team.