Orange County Insight August 2022

Public Safety Staff Remember 2011 Earthquake, Remind Residents to Be Prepared

By: Orange County Communications Department

Significant moments that fall outside the norm of our daily lives are seemingly able to activate a more permanent file in our memory, which lets us recall details of the experience long after the event ’ s occurrence. Almost everyone living in central Virginia in 2011 can recall where they were, and what they were doing, when the August 23 earthquake took place. For public safety personnel, the memories are even more vivid. Major Michael LaCasse of the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Office recalled the nearly immediate communications void. “ Phone lines were clogged, and our old radio system lacked coverage, ” said LaCasse. Unsurprisingly, emergency calls increased following the earthquake. According to our records, there were more than 10 hours of steady emergency calls, with many requesting wellness checks for family members they could not contact. Furthermore, when the earthquake occurred over 10 years ago, the radio systems used by our public safety agencies were disconnected from each other, and coverage was only about 17%. Thankfully, if a similar emergency took place today, our first responders would now depend on an updated radio system with flexibility built - in and several layers of redundancy in place. The new radio system will greatly assist emergency personnel, but in the event of another earthquake, residents should be prepared for traditional phone lines to experience logjams similar to those after the 2011 quake. To mitigate the impact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests using text messages (which may be more reliable than calls), or resources like the Red Cross ’ “ Safe and Well ” website and apps to check on family and friends. If service allows, use social media and email to make contact. Earthquakes, and other disasters, can strike without warning. “ One of the best actions a resident can take now is to prepare an emergency kit for their household and make an emergency plan with their family members, ” said April Clark, Fire & EMS Emergency Planner. Thankfully, these resources will be useful in almost any type of emergency, including earthquakes, hurricanes, winter weather, and more. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management offers resources for preparing both emergency kits and emergency plans. Don ’ t wait until a disaster strikes, take action now.

Page 18 | August, 2022

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