Earthquake Preparedness - Shake Alert

Earthquake Preparedness in Medford Schools

Living in the Pacific Northwest means living with the possibility of earthquakes. The Medford School District is committed to keeping our schools prepared. We’re proud to be the first K-12 district in Oregon to adopt ShakeAlert Technology, which gives us precious seconds of warning before an earthquake strikes.

What is ShakeAlert?

ShakeAlert is an early warning system for earthquakes, providing alerts seconds before shaking begins. It’s not a prediction tool, but it helps schools and communities take immediate action to Drop, Cover, and Hold On. During a real earthquake, ShakeAlert gave our schools nearly a full minute more warning than typical phone alerts.

Listen to the ShakeAlert message here

How Are We Preparing?

We conduct earthquake drills at least twice a year to ensure everyone knows how to respond. Our students participate in the Great ShakeOut each October, a worldwide event that helps us practice staying safe.

Seismic Resilience at MSD

We’re continually working to improve the earthquake safety of our buildings. While upgrading schools can be time-consuming and costly, we’ve secured over $20 million in state grants to retrofit buildings to current seismic codes. Our goal is to ensure our schools meet Life Safety standards, with some areas like gyms and cafeterias designed to remain functional after an earthquake.

How Can Families Prepare?

• Stay informed by signing up for ShakeAlert and Citizen Alert.

• Prepare your home with at least 72 hours of food and water.

• Talk to your kids about earthquake safety.

• Get involved with local preparedness groups like CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).

Together, we can ensure our community is ready to respond to any emergency.