Drop, Cover, Wait: A Nisqually Anniversary Reminder

Drop, Cover, Wait: A Nisqually Anniversary Reminder

Published at 1:30 AM Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Lessons learned from the 2001 Nisqually earthquake

Do you remember? Twenty-five years ago, the Nisqually Earthquake struck our area. At 10:54 a.m. on February 28, 2001, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook our homes, offices, schools, and regional infrastructure for 30 to 40 seconds. It also caused landslides and liquefaction. The earthquake injured about 400 people and caused the death of one person. Total damage was estimated at $2-4 billion. Nearly 300,000 residences were damaged in the Puget Sound region (tinyurl.com/EQdamagePS). Things could have been much worse: improved building codes and personal and institutional preparedness made the difference. (tinyurl.com/NisquallyEQ).

The kids are fine: Tom DeVries, a retired Vashon High School teacher, remembers being in class when the quake struck. “The students were under their desks in seconds. It was impressive how instinctively they knew what to do, because of earthquake drills over the years.”

Students have practiced many times that when you feel an earthquake, you should immediately get down on your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on to your shelter until the shaking stops. If there is no shelter nearby, you should crawl next to an interior wall, avoiding glass and falling objects.

What to expect: We live in a seismically active area where a major earthquake could occur at any time. According to the USGS, there is an 85% chance that within the next 50 years the Puget Sound region will experience another deep Nisqually-type earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or greater (tinyurl.com/usgs2025). During the same period, the chance is 10-15% for a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake of magnitude 9 and 17% for a shallow crustal earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or greater. The Seattle and Tacoma fault zones are areas close to crustal faults.

How to prepare: The magnitude and timing of earthquakes cannot be predicted, but you can prepare by making your home safer in several ways. For example, if you live in an older home, make sure the frame is anchored to the foundation. The builder or structural engineer can check this for you. Inside your home, do not hang heavy or breakable objects on beds, and install tall bookcases and hot water tanks on wall studs. For additional tips, see tinyurl.com/EQhomeSafety.

Preparing for a major earthquake that could turn into a regional disaster also means preparing to be self-sufficient for up to three weeks. Stock up on extra food, water, and prescription medications for your family, keep a “go bag” ready, have a family reunion plan, and keep a battery-operated radio handy for public announcements. For more details, see vashonbeprepared.org/prepare-household.

Finally, consider putting the MyShake app on your phone to receive earthquake early warning alerts. You can find it for Apple or Android devices at myshake.berkeley.edu. These alerts can provide valuable seconds of advance notice that the ground in your location is about to start shaking after an earthquake in the area. These extra seconds give you more time to find a safe place to drop! cover! And wait!

Practice earthquake preparedness: Earthquake Resilience Day is October 15

Earthquakes can happen at any time of the year, so don’t wait to mark your calendar for each year on October 15 at 10:15 a.m. local time, when people in earthquake-prone areas around the world participate in World Earthquake Day. Practicing what we would do in the event of an earthquake helps us develop muscle memory and stay calmer than if we didn’t practice. You can join wherever you are, to be more mentally and physically prepared when the ground shakes. Mark your calendar now, and we’ll remind you again when the date gets closer. Visit Shakeout.org or www.shakeout.org/espanol for more information and tips on how everyone can get involved.

VIFR adds more CPR categories

In addition to the March 11 class, Vashon Island Fire & Rescue has just announced two additional free CPR classes, on the evenings of April 22 and May 7. These classes are filling quickly – learn more and register at vifr.org/cpr-classes.

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