Summary

Many King County and West Coast residents felt the earth move under their feet Friday afternoon, the result of a preliminary magnitude 6.4 earthquake centered off Vancouver Island.

Story

Many King County and West Coast residents felt the earth move under their feet Friday afternoon, the result of a preliminary magnitude 6.4 earthquake centered off Vancouver Island.

While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports little damage and no threat of a tsunami, the event came just hours after King County Executive Dow Constantine issued a media release calling on all residents to make a personal commitment to prepare now for the unexpected.

"Over the past ten years, in concert with our regional partners, we have worked to build a whole-community approach to disaster planning, response and recovery," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "Strong communities begin with each of us making a personal commitment to prepare, and then reaching out to our neighbors to build the networks that will be crucial when disaster strikes."

There are many steps individuals and businesses can take to reduce the effects of a disaster, including making a family emergency plan, assembling an emergency kit, registering for public alert systems, and getting involved locally through volunteer groups such as the American Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Teams, and community-based organizations. For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/prepare.