FEMA to conduct multi-state earthquake drill

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) is encouraging public awareness about an upcoming multi-state earthquake drill to be conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the first such drill ever conducted. The Great Central U.S. Shakeout will take place Thursday, April 28 at 10:15 a.m. central time. Eleven states are participating in the event, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Participants - families, schools, businesses and other organizations - are asked to register so they can be counted and receive communications and practice "drop, cover, and hold on" at the specified time. Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their drill and how to create a dialogue with others about earthquake preparedness. Registration is free and can be completed at http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/.

"Living near the New Madrid fault, this is important information for our region," said Costello. "The tragic recent events in Japan are another reminder about how devastating a major earthquake can be. Exercises like this one will leave us better prepared for such a catastrophe here at home, and I want to make sure people are aware of this event."