On Tuesday, February 7, at 10:15 a.m. CST, nine states across the central U.S. will participate in this year’s second annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. The drill will start when the National Weather Service sends a tone-alert to the NOAA Weather Radio. The radio will tell those listening to “drop, cover, and hold on.”

The ShakeOut is a public earthquake drill organized and coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and its member and associate states, FEMA, U.S. Geological Survey, and other partners. Schools, businesses, governments, and other organizations are all encouraged to participate.

The drill gives companies an opportunity to evaluate internal emergency plans and consider how they would continue their operations in an emergency event. When businesses prepare for such an event, including earthquakes, it’s important to develop a Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan. COOPs include:

• Identifying your organization’s essential functions and their timeframes for restoration. For example, something that can never be disrupted, or something that can be restored within 24, 48, or 72 hours.
• Establishing procedures for succession of management.
• Developing notification procedures and emergency contact lists.
• Planning what to do if your store, building, or plant is not accessible.
• Coordinating with vendors, suppliers, and clients.

In any emergency event, being prepared helps decrease recovering time. This can make a huge difference for any business or community!

For more information on COOPs, visit Ready America. If you haven’t already registered or want more information on the ShakeOut event, you can join at www.shakeout.org/centralus. The event is free, and open to the general public!