Month: October 2012

THE GREAT WASHINGTON SHAKEOUT

Posted on by Ruth Vogel

Last Thursday Ivy Law Group participated in the Great Washington ShakeOut, which was a scheduled earthquake drill occurring at 10:18 a.m.  About 720,000 people in the state took part in the drill, as well as almost 12.5 million participants worldwide (although all international drills did not take place at the same time.)  The purpose of the drill is to increase preparedness and therefore to decrease the potential for injuries and damage.

We conducted the drill at our office, a 100-year-old house in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  At the stroke of 10:18, Jessica hollered “Earthquake!” and we all got under our desks, which are supplied with whistles and water.  Our “earthquake” lasted one minute, and then we did a health and safety check of the staff and building.  We are happy to report minor damage! Finally, we updated our emergency supply kit.

The majority of our state is prone to earthquakes, and a small amount of preparation can go a long way toward easing the effects of a disaster.   (Just this past Saturday a magnitude 7.7 quake hit the west coast of Canada.)  At Ivy Law Group we believe strongly in preparedness.  Call or email and find out about our rule of the Seven P’s!  Or learn more about earthquake preparedness and how to register for next year’s drill by visitinghttp://www.shakeout.org/washington/.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Posted on by Ruth Vogel

Most of us have been approached or pulled over by a law enforcement officer at some point in our lives.  It can be an intimidating experience, but by knowing your rights you can avoid making detrimental decisions based on misinformation or fear.

If you are pulled over by an officer, you have the right not to answer any questions.  You must show your driver’s license, proof of insurance and registration if asked to do so, and you must exit the car if asked to do so.  But unless the officer has probable cause to search your car, the officer may not conduct a search without your consent.  You can simply say “I do not give my consent.”  If you are treated badly by the officer, write down the officer’s badge number and name (which you have a right to ask for.)  Also, if you have any suspicion that the person who pulled you over is not actually an officer, lock your doors and call 911 to get verification.

To find out more, including your rights regarding arrests, searches and warrants, and traveling through airports, go to: http://www.aclu.org/files/kyr/kyr_english.pdf