I’ll be honest with you—I slept right through the magnitude 4.0 quake, centered on the Hood Canal about 45 miles west of here, last Wednesday, Sept. 17. My wife was up early, browsing her iPhone; she’s usually the one who tells me about these quakes, and all I can do is shrug. A heavy sleeper, I’ve slept through every minor tremblor in the past decade. The noise from that fatal plane crash on Mount Si failed to wake me.

I do, however, remember exactly where I was when the 2001 earthquake struck. I was working in a small newsroom about 10 miles from the epicenter of the magnitude 6.8 earthquake. I’ll never forget the sounds and sights. It lasted maybe a minute, but it felt like it went on forever. I had never experienced anything like that: The moving ground, the grating sounds, items hurled from shelves. I wasn’t outside, but was told by witnesses that the pavement, cars atop it, rippled. This went on for frightening, stunning seconds. Then, thankfully, it stopped.

And while life went on, soon back to normal, the fact remains that such a quake could return at any time. Residual damage lingered from that quake for a long time. Part of the reason North Bend built a new fire hall last year was due to concerns about damage and safety at the old one due to the 2001 Nisqually quake.

So, that 4.0 quake that, perhaps, some of our readers felt, is a good reminder that you never know what’s around the corner. Whether it’s earthquake, ice storm, winds, flood, even solar flares, it’s always good to have a plan for you and your loved ones, supplies, coats and contact info handy, just in case a real one goes down.

When the earth moves

Assuming you have done what you can to be ready for the earthquake, officials at Eastside Fire & Rescue are reminding locals of things we need to do in seconds, perhaps minutes, in order to survive a massive earthquake.

EFR has 28 people on duty each day, spread over nearly 200 square miles, responsible for about 120,000 people, and about $20 billion worth of property. It’s a lot to cover by a small group. Other local agencies are in the same boat. So, preparedness before, after, and during the quake is doubly important. In a quake, you should:

• Keep calm. Do not run or panic.

• Drop low, cover your head, and hold. Remain where you are. If indoors, take shelter under your desk, table, doorway or stairwell. Stay away from windows, outside doors, or other trouble spots.

• Wait until the shaking stops; if your building is safe to stay in, stay. If you have to exit, always take the stairs.

• If outdoors, do not attempt to enter any buildings until authorities say they are safe.  Stay away from overhead electric wires, power poles, or other potential hazards.

• If you are in a vehicle, slow down and drive to a clear space away from overpasses, power lines, buildings, and trees. Stay in your vehicle.

• If you are trapped in an elevator, keep calm and do not panic. Emergency help has likely been notified. The structure of the elevator will be checked before the elevator is turned back on.

• Listen to your weather radio or keep a local TV/radio station on for information and emergency instructions.

You can learn more about quake safety at www.efr.com.