This morning, a 3.1-magnitude earthquake struck just east of Berkeley, waking residents and reminding us all of the unpredictable nature of California’s seismic activity. The quake, which hit at 9:23 a.m., sent a gentle shake through the Bay Area, causing mild concern but no major damage. Just as people thought it was just another calm Thursday, Mother Nature tossed them a little “surprise!” right before the Great California ShakeOut drill scheduled for 10:16 a.m.
While the shaking was described as weak to light, it’s a timely reminder that we can never be too prepared. Millions are gearing up to drop, cover, and hold on, just in case “the big one” really does decide to show up. So, did this slight tremor ruin anyone’s plans to snooze through the safety drill? Wouldn’t it be a bit ironic if an earthquake got us to practice what to do during an earthquake?
Californians love their safety drills, but after experiencing that shake, perhaps they’ll approach the drill with a little more seriousness! Far better to practice safety now than to scramble during an actual quake. So, what’s your take? Do safety drills help, or are they just another boring Tuesday?
