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Kentucky Emergency Management
KENTUCKY PREPARES FOR THE GREAT CENTRAL US SHAKEOUT AND NATIONAL LEVEL EXERCISE 2011
FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 12, 2011) - As Japan was hit with yet another
earthquake yesterday, Kentucky continues to prepare for the Great Central US
ShakeOut Earthquake Drill, scheduled for April 28, 2011, and the National
Level Exercise 2011 (NLE 2011), scheduled for May 16-20.
Scientists, experts and emergency management officials are aware earthquakes
similar to, if not greater than, those that recently struck Japan and New
Zealand could hit Kentucky anywhere, at any time and are taking steps to
educate and prepare Kentuckians.
Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM), its federal partners, state and local
officials, private sector and non-governmental organizations will collaborate
on the Great Central U.S. Shakeout and the 2011 National Level Exercise.
These events are designed to educate Americans on what they can do to be
better prepared for earthquakes, as well as other catastrophic events.
The 2011 ShakeOut drill will be the largest earthquake preparedness event in
central U.S. history. More than 1.8 million participants have already
registered with 239,679 participants from Kentucky. The ShakeOut is a
broad-based outreach program in partnership with the media and public
advocacy by hundreds of partners. This event is being organized by the
Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) (http://www.cusec.org)
and its member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana,
Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The ShakeOut will be centered around a
simultaneous drop, cover, and hold drill that will be held at 10:15 AM CDT on
April 28.
To participate and register, visit www.shakeout.org/centralus/kentucky and
pledge your family, school, business or organization's participation in the
drill. Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their
drill and how to create a dialogue with others about earthquake preparedness.
All organizers ask is that participants register (so they can be counted and
receive communications), and at the minimum practice "Drop, Cover and Hold
on!"
Kentucky will use a mock catastrophic earthquake to drive the upcoming Tier I
exercise, known as NLE 2011, which will simulate the decisions and actions
that top officials should be prepared to take in the first 96-hours following
a devastating earthquake. This is the first NLE to focus on a natural hazard,
rather than a terrorism-focused scenario.
In planning since 2008, NLE 2011 is expected to be the largest joint exercise
in United States history and will include activities with local responders,
federal and state emergency management officials, private sector partners and
volunteer organizations at multiple venues around the region, as well as in
Washington D.C. and various FEMA regional offices. Everyone, including
private citizens, is invited to participate and exercise their own earthquake
preparations. Certificates of participation will be issued to those who
register and participate in online NLE 2011 surveys.
For more information on the NLE 2011 and to register as a participant, visit
www.kyem.ky.gov/nle2011. You will also find external information, related
social media sites and links to Kentucky's Earthquake Preparedness Program
The exercise is designed to assess response and recovery capabilities both
nationally and regionally. Kentucky will use the exercise to update and
rewrite the Commonwealth Catastrophic Earthquake Response Plan.
On Friday, April 15 1:00 PM EDT, KYEM director, John Heltzel is hosting a
media conference call to discuss earthquake preparedness in Kentucky, the
Great Central US ShakeOut and the upcoming NLE 11. All media is invited to
call. A media advisory will be issued with call in information.
Individuals and their families can take the following steps to prepare for
earthquakes:
. Get an emergency supply kit;
. Make a family communications plan;
. Stay informed of the risks in your community
. Check for hazards in the home
. Identify safe places indoors and outdoors; and
. Educate yourself and family members.
For more information on preparing for an earthquake and other emergencies,
please visit www.kyem.ky.gov/programs/earthquake/ .
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