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| Four Seasons Hemet Herald | October 2016 | 15 Be sure to put Thurs., Oct. 20 at 10:20 am on your calendar and in your smartphone as an alert. This is the date and time for this year's Great Shakeout drill. When that occurs, all participants (hopefully including you) are to imagine that a strong earthquake has struck. The reaction to this should be to immediately DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON. Hopefully the place you drop to will be under a table, next to a bed or couch, in a hallway, or next to a windowless wall — NOT in a doorway, next to a large window or glass door, or next to a tall, heavy piece of furniture. Don't try to run out of your house, as our roofs are made of concrete tiles that will likely be shaken loose and could be falling! By preparing for a catastrophic event like a major earthquake, we will be prepared for nearly anything else that might occur. We actually have two events scheduled for October (in addition to our usual monthly Safety and Preparation Meeting). On Oct. 20 we will use the "Great Shakeout" as an opportunity for our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) organization to test their knowledge and skills that they have been developing. We would like to see as much participation as possible, so please consider coming by the Lodge at about 11 am to observe our Command Post set-up. The second event will be our participation in the Four Seasons Car Show on Oct. 22. We will have a booth staffed by some of our CERT members who will explain what we are doing, and what you can do to be better prepared, should a major emergency occur. Last month, September, was designated "National Preparedness Month." Personal and community emergency preparation is an on-going process — not just a once-a- year event. We are working on information packets for each household, and hope to have them available starting this month. Watch for them! For more information about the Shakeout, see www.shakeout.org/california/ for details. FEMA sponsors a site at www.ready.gov/. This site will refer you to many resources related to disaster awareness and preparations. The EPC sponsors our "Street Captains" program, which meets every fourth Monday at 6:30 pm as a Safety and Preparedness Meeting, in either the Ballroom, or the Multipurpose Room at the Lodge. We are fortunate to have experienced and knowledgeable leaders and have practical training exercises to sharpen our skills at helping others. Come join us and see what we are all about! Emergency Preparedness Committee

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