× It’s time to make sure your phone will get Washington’s new ShakeAlert early earthquake warnings By Laurel Demkovich, The Spokesman-Review Published: May 20, 2021, 7:29am Share: OLYMPIA — Washington residents with a cellphone in their pockets could have a short, but possibly critical warning before they feel the next big earthquake. Earlier this month, Washington joined California and Oregon in using the U.S. Geological Survey’s ShakeAlert system for earthquake early warning. The program, which has been in the works since 2006, picks up shaking from sensors built across the state and sends alerts to residents nearby seconds before the ground starts moving. Depending on where they’re located in proximity to the epicenter, cellphones will receive a warning seconds or tens of seconds before the ground shakes.