How to Access Early Earthquake Warnings
- Region 10 FEMA YPC
- Jan 14
- 2 min read
Wouldn't it be cool to receive earthquake warnings shortly before the ground starts shaking, providing life-saving seconds to drop-cover-hold and otherwise prepare?
Meet ShakeAlert®, the US West Coast's earthquake early warning system. The US Geological Survey agency issues ShakeAlert messages by collaborating with state partners in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Why early warning systems are crucial to preparedness
When the ground begins to shake with no prior warning, there is little time to quickly drop for cover. ShakeAlert provides time not only to drop, cover, and hold on before shaking begins, but also secure belongings in the space you are in so they do not fall. Not only do individuals have extra seconds to protect themselves, but there is time to pause public transport and shut off utilities, reducing damage to infrastructure. In these ways ShakeAlert allows communities to respond proactively to earthquakes as they occur.
How to access earthquake early warnings
The provider for you depends on your mobile device.
The Android Operating System has its own built-in earthquake early warning system in California, Oregon, and Washington.
For those with devices that do not have earthquake early warning built in, the MyShake app (Apple) (Android) uses ShakeAlert to send a notification indicating coming shaking. It was developed by a team at UC Berkeley in partnership with USGS ShakeAlert, and is available for download on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Alert San Diego is another early warning mobile app that is available for download on Apple iTunes and Google Play stores in California.
How MyShake sends out earthquake alerts ahead of the shaking
How MyShake works
ShakeAlert relies on a combination of advanced technologies to detect and respond to earthquakes. The MyShake app uses patented artificial neural networks to identify potential earthquakes. When installed, the app equips smartphones with accelerometers that detect shaking input data to the system. The networks assess this information to distinguish between earthquake patterns and human activities. When shaking is detected across multiple phones in a localized area, it confirms the presence of an earthquake. Once the earthquake is verified, the app delivers notifications signaling an earthquake and prompting to drop-cover-hold. You could get five to thirty seconds of warning before an earthquake hits, depending on where you are located compared to the epicenter of the earthquake.
MyShake's process to send out alerts is similar to those of other providers. No matter which provider you choose, make sure you have ShakeAlert's early warning alerts available! A few extra seconds to prepare can soften the blow a disaster has on communities, so prepare today.
For more information:
California's Office of Emergency Services
About Us - MyShake
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