California Enhances MyShake App with New Features, Expands Reach

Gov. Gavin Newsom Jan. 26, announced new functionality within the MyShake app to better serve Californians and keep surrounding communities safe.

The MyShake app, funded by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services or Cal OES and developed by the UC Berkeley Seismology Lab, has launched its newest enhancement called HomeBase.

It allows users to set a default location where they can receive earthquake early warning alerts, even if location services are temporarily down or turned off. This will increase MyShake’s ability to send timely alerts so that Californians affected by an earthquake can receive a warning for a location of their choosing and be prepared for shaking.

To activate the HomeBase function, users should update their MyShake app and navigate to the Settings page, where they will find an “Add HomeBase Location” button.

Tone Warning and Tsunami Feature

Other new features on the app include an audible tone prior to the verbal warning, which can be accessed by checking the audio and visual alerts in the Settings > Notification page.

Tsunami safety information has also been added to the Safety Pages to remind people near the coast what steps they can take before, during, and after an earthquake to protect them from tsunamis. 

To download MyShake visit earthquake.ca.gov.

For those who want to keep location services off due to privacy concerns, Californians can still receive alerts now through the HomeBase feature. No personally identifiable information is used or stored by MyShake.

The HomeBase feature differs from a function already in the app where users can receive earthquake notifications for other locations, even in other countries. For example, if users want to receive notifications for earthquakes that occur where family or friends live, they can add those locations under Settings > Notifications.

VIDEOS AVAILABLE:

Jose Lara, Cal OES Seismic Hazards Branch 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mz08rxittgg4c76/Cal%20OES%20Jose%20Lara%20on%20ShakeAlert%20App%20Update.mp4?dl=0