Every October, millions of people around the world take part in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill, practicing the lifesaving steps of Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Here in Seattle, the message hits close to home because when the ground shakes, one of the biggest dangers isn’t the earthquake itself, but what can fall during it.

For our city, that means falling bricks and parapets from unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, the beautiful but vulnerable brick structures that define many of Seattle’s neighborhoods. These buildings represent the city’s history, but without seismic strengthening, they also represent some of our greatest risks.

In preparation for this year’s ShakeOut, SDCI helped to launch a new statewide public outreach effort: Fix the Bricks. The campaign includes coordinated

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