Kinemetrics Launches Earthquake Early Warning Alerts for OasisPlus Earthquake Response Platform Powered by ShakeAlert®
Kinemetrics Inc., the world leader in earthquake monitoring and response solutions, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with USGS as a partner commercially licensed to deliver ShakeAlert®-powered earthquake early warning alerts via the OasisPlus Earthquake Response Platform.
OasisPlus leverages a combination of smart sensing technology, real-time processing, and predictive computations to provide the tools and information needed before, during, and after an earthquake to minimize impact and ensure an effective emergency response. This information promotes rapid safety assessments, enables informed decision-making, minimizes the risk of economic loss due to unnecessary evacuations or shutdowns, and protects occupant safety at hospitals, schools, office buildings, and other critical structures.
With the addition of ShakeAlert, OasisPlus users will now receive earthquake early warning alerts as an integrated element of their emergency response workflow.
“We are thrilled to partner with USGS in providing earthquake early warning alerts for critical structures and businesses”, said Mathias Franke, VP of Kinemetrics and head of the OasisPlus team. “OasisPlus provides immediate information on the impact of an earthquake to a structure, and delivers the situational awareness and tools required to direct appropriate and effective response actions. The addition of ShakeAlert-powered early warning alerts is a natural enhancement that moves the initiation of emergency response to the pre-impact phase of the event, potentially delivering better awareness and outcomes for building occupants and emergency responders.”
The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, detects significant earthquakes quickly enough that alerts can be delivered to people and automated systems potentially seconds before shaking arrives. The purpose of the system is to reduce the impact of earthquakes to save lives and property.
The USGS works with licensed technical partners, such as Kinemetrics, who use USGS-issued ShakeAlert Messages that are used to alert people to take protective actions such as Drop, Cover, and Hold On, or to trigger automated actions.
“ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning is an important tool that can be used to protect hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities,” said Robert de Groot of the USGS Earthquake Science Center in Pasadena, CA. “Now that Kinemetrics is ‘Powered by ShakeAlert,’ they will be able to provide precious moments of warning before earthquake shaking impacts a building potentially reducing risk of economic losses and most importantly, target emergency response for people who need it most.”
The integration of ShakeAlert with the OasisPlus platform sets the stage for similar integrations with other earthquake early warning systems, worldwide.
About Kinemetrics
Headquartered in Pasadena, California, USA, since 1969, Kinemetrics, its subsidiaries, and partners have been the global market leaders in designing technologies, products, and solutions for monitoring earthquakes and their effects on people and structures. Kinemetrics products represent the de facto world standards.
About ShakeAlert
ShakeAlert® is an earthquake early warning (EEW) system that detects significant earthquakes so quickly that alerts can reach many people before shaking arrives. ShakeAlert is not earthquake prediction, rather a ShakeAlert Message indicates that an earthquake has begun and shaking is imminent.
Media Contact:
Brandon Parrott, Product Development & Marketing Manager
657.600.5503 | jbp@kmi.com
