Earthquake Warning California
Medical Toolkit & Resources

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has helped Californians prepare for earthquakes through the Earthquake Warning California campaign. California residents and visitors can find the latest materials, resources, and news relating to the nation’s first statewide, publicly available earthquake warning system at: earthquake.ca.gov. However, we need your help getting the message out!

For medical facilities in California, earthquakes are not a matter of if but when. Therefore, medical facilities should have a plan in place to help mitigate risk to recover quickly following an earthquake and communicate with personnel on what to do during and after an earthquake, whether a medical facility is located along a fault line or providing services for patients in areas prone to earthquakes. Earthquakes and the damage they cause can significantly impact the facility, its personnel, and its ability to serve patients. They may also want to consider including early warning technology in their disaster planning.

By helping share resources with employees, patients, partners, and other key community partners, medical facilities can play a key role in making California more resilient and keeping people safe when the next major earthquake occurs.

Newsletter Language

Use the language below to copy/paste and share with target audiences through email blasts, newsletters, or other channels. Please share this material, and feel free to tailor or personalize it.

Earthquake Warnings are a Game Changer: Cal OES encourages medical facilities and medical professionals to implement a plan to protect themselves, their patients, staff, and the community during an earthquake. If you receive a warning or feel shaking, there are moments to act. There may be circumstances where a warning is issued, but no shaking occurs. It is always better to be on the side of caution when it comes to earthquakes. We encourage you to share this information with staff, patients, and your community in California to help spread the word about the technology available to help keep them safe.

GAME CHANGER: Californians can now get warnings for earthquakes from Earthquake Warning California. By downloading the FREE MyShake App, people can get a jump start, in some cases, before shaking can be felt to take protective actions to DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON (or LOCK, COVER, and HOLD ON if using a wheelchair).

If you receive a warning or feel shaking, there are moments to act. There may be circumstances where a warning is issued, but no shaking occurs. It is always better to be on the side of caution when it comes to earthquakes. We encourage you to share this information with friends and family in California to help spread the word about the technology available to help keep them safe.

 Here are some of the ways people can receive earthquake warnings:

•  MyShake App. An app that can be downloaded for mobile devices at no cost from Google Play and the Apple App Store. App users can set up a “HomeBase” location to receive earthquake warnings without having location services turned on.
• Android Earthquake Alerts. Included in new or updated Android devices, the system uses the same technology as the MyShake App.
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs). Text-like messages from the government during emergencies. This includes Presidential, Imminent Threats (fire, earthquake, floods, etc.), and AMBER alerts.

When an earthquake warning is issued from any of these sources, individuals should quickly take protective actions to stay safe, such as dropping to the ground, covering their head with their arms, and holding onto their neck with both hands until the shaking stops. Do not stand in doorways or near glass windows.

[Insert organization name] encourages our [employees/patients] to have a plan for how to protect themselves in the event of an earthquake, whether at home, at work, or in transit. If you receive an earthquake warning, react with the assumption that shaking will occur soon after. There may be circumstances where a warning is issued, but no shaking occurs. It is always better to be on the side of caution when it comes to earthquakes. We encourage you to share this information with friends and family to help spread the word about the technology available to help keep them safe.

Please visit earthquake.ca.gov to learn more about the latest tools and resources and how to use them. You can also sign up for a regular partner e-newsletter on the website from Cal OES that includes the latest news and information about Earthquake Warning California.