MyShake, the Californian earthquake early warning alerts app
Source：Earthquake Warning California, MyShake, The New York Times, Great ShakeOut
From：Taiwan Trade Center, New York
Update Time：2024/02/23
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, around 143 million people in the United States reside in earthquake-prone areas. The state of California, which has more earthquakes that cause damage than any other state in the U.S., launched Earthquake Warning California — the country’s first publicly available, statewide alert system that is able to give California residents a few seconds’ warning to take cover and to provide organizations with additional time to implement safety measures. The alert's speed is contingent on one's proximity to the earthquake's point of origin. The closer someone is to the origin, the faster they will receive the alert. To receive earthquake warnings, you can use one of these three tools: MyShake app, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), or Android Earthquake Alerts.
MyShake — which has been developed by UC Berkeley Seismology Lab, sponsored by the State of California Office of Emergency Services — is the first app powered by ShakeAlert® to provide statewide earthquake early warning alerts. With over 1.6 million downloads and users in more than 80 countries, MyShake’s goal is to establish a global earthquake early warning system to minimize earthquake impact on communities. The app gathers motion data from your phone's sensors and employs a patented neural network to assess if that motion aligns with the characteristics of an earthquake. It then estimates the size, location, and impact of the earthquake, and records shaking for analysis and technology improvement. As for the users, they can report the intensity of shaking and share post-earthquake damage details via the app. Since MyShake utilizes smartphones as earthquake sensors (make sure that the phone's location settings are set to "always on"), the app can be used anywhere, even in regions without access to conventional seismic technology. It is now available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) is a national system delivering crucial information via brief text messages in English and Spanish to compatible mobile devices during emergencies. These alerts can be sent by various authorities such as local safety officials, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and even the President of the United States.
And, if you have an Android phone, there is no need to download a separate app. In collaboration with Google, California's earthquake early warning technology is automatically integrated into millions of Android phones in the state. Like MyShake App, this system operates through the ShakeAlert® program, using the same data feed as Earthquake Warning California. To learn more about Android Alerts System, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_9PeG6Icpg&t=1s.
To raise awareness about earthquake safety and preparedness, the International ShakeOut Day is held every year on the third Thursday of October. On this day, millions of people across the world participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home. While this initiative began in California, ShakeOut has also been organized in many other states and countries, including Taiwan. To learn more and to register for the next drill, visit: https://www.shakeout.org/.
Sources:
Source: https://earthquake.ca.gov/get-alerts/