An earthquake hits Concordia. What do you do?
Emergency Management is using the Great ShakeOut on October 16 to test Concordia's emergency notification system. Faculty and staff are registered automatically; students are encouraged to register today on the MyConcordia portal.
It’s go time. Concordians will take part in our first-ever earthquake preparedness drill on October 16.
The Great ShakeOut (la Grande secousse in Quebec) encourages organizations across the world to be better prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes. Close to 25 million people participated last year, and nearly as many are registered this year.
Normally, in the case of an earthquake, Emergency Management would send a message through its emergency notification channels. In this particular case, the message will tell participants that the minute-long earthquake simulation has begun at around 10:16 a.m. on October 16. Students, faculty and staff will then pretend an earthquake has hit.
Everyone* should immediately Drop to the ground, find Cover and Hold On until the earthquake has ended. Here are some additional details:
- DROP down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary.
- COVER your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, only then should you get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won't fall on you), and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
- HOLD ON to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.
Find out more about what to do during an earthquake.
Why "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is important
During an earthquake, an immediate and decisive reaction is the best way to assure safety. Practicing can help you develop the instinct to find a safe place and avoid falling objects.
Staff and faculty: download the Alertus application to get emergency notifications on your desktop and update your contact information on the MyConcordia portal.
How to update your contact information
- Login to MyConcordia.ca
- Select Employee Self Service from the menu on the left
- Select MyHR Profile
- Select MyEmpath
- Select Personal
- Select Contacts
Students: Register now for emergency messaging to be kept abreast of all emergencies on campus. Log into the MyConcordia portal and click on Messaging.
Find out about all the emergency alerts available to the Concordia community.
* While emergency preparedness is highly important to running a large institution, this activity need not interrupt mid-term exams and other academic activities. Participation in this activity is subject to the professor's approval.