ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning in Schools
The Stanwood-Camano School District uses the USGS-operated ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system to protect students and staff by sending earthquake alerts through its public address system.
Stanwood Camano
School District
What is the ShakeAlert System?
ShakeAlert is an earthquake early warning system operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. It rapidly detects significant seismic activity, estimates expected ground motion, and issues ShakeAlert Messages.
Licensed Operators use this data to deliver alerts and trigger automated safety protocols across schools, public infrastructure, and institutions.
The Challenge and the Opportunity
The Stanwood-Camano area faces seismic risks from shallow crustal faults, deep earthquakes like the 2001 Nisqually event, and major subduction events in the Cascadia zone. In school settings, strong shaking can pose severe threats to safety by toppling furniture, dislodging fixtures, and causing injuries.
ShakeAlert provides a vital opportunity: even just seconds of advance warning can allow students and educators to take life-saving protective action before shaking begins.
Getting Started with the ShakeAlert System
The initiative began when PTA parent and engineer Dale-Ann Baker visited the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network during a school field trip. Realizing its potential, she collaborated with Dan Ervin of Varius Inc., a ShakeAlert LtO, to bring the system to Stanwood-Camano.
By Fall 2019, Stanwood Elementary became the first school in Washington to integrate ShakeAlert. Today, all 13 district buildings are connected to a centralized PA system that automatically broadcasts alerts when ground motion is detected.
““School districts have a special role to play in earthquake readiness because our community’s children are in our care for seven hours or more each day. The ShakeAlert System helps us meet the challenge of providing a safe learning environment for our students and staff.””
Deborah RumbaughSuperintendent Stanwood-Camano School District
Implementation Details
Varius Inc. designed the ShakeAlert setup for simplicity and low maintenance. A small ShakeAlert-powered unit is wall-mounted, connected to the internet, and linked to the school PA system.
When shaking is imminent, the system triggers an alert tone followed by a clear voice message:
“Earthquake! Earthquake! Expect shaking soon. Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect yourself now.”
Stanwood Elementary now serves as the district’s alerting hub. Varius engineers connected each school’s PA system to this central source, ensuring synchronized alerts district-wide.
Implementing ShakeAlert across the Stanwood-Camano School District involved thoughtful planning and strategic investment. While the total cost for system integration and a full PA infrastructure upgrade remained under $100,000—a figure mostly offset by grant funding—the district prioritized creating a centralized, modernized alerting network that could scale across all 13 buildings.
Importantly, ShakeAlert can also work with legacy PA systems, offering flexibility for other school districts looking to integrate early warning technology without overhauling infrastructure.
The ongoing costs? Nearly negligible. Maintenance and operational requirements are minimal, making this a high-impact, low-friction safety upgrade.
The return on investment is clear:
over 4,600 students and staff are now protected by synchronized, automated alerts that give them crucial seconds to react. Whether in classrooms, cafeterias, or offices, every individual hears the same clear directive—in time to take action.
Telecom Considerations
School districts planning for ShakeAlert should assess reliable data delivery methods (wired internet, cellular, or radio) to ensure alerts can be received with minimal latency.
Common Sense Safety
In the Pacific Northwest, an earthquake is twice as likely to occur as a fire—yet every school has a fire alarm. ShakeAlert adds that missing layer of protection.
Better Earthquake Drills
Integrating ShakeAlert alerts into drills has made Stanwood-Camano’s earthquake preparedness efforts more realistic and effective. Students and staff now train under the same conditions they’d face in a real event.
Teachable Moments
ShakeAlert brings STEM to life. Educators use alerts and drills to introduce students to real-world science and engineering. The ShakeAlert team also provides learning materials like videos and classroom activities to support education and outreach.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Looking to bring ShakeAlert® to your school district or learn how to improve seismic readiness?
- Dive into the Education Sector ShakeAlert Messaging Toolkit
- Review key FAQs about Technical Partnerships
- Browse the full list of Licensed Operators
- Or connect directly with your regional ShakeAlert coordinator:
*Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States government.