Millions of people will "drop, cover and hold on" during a statewide earthquake simulation Thursday.
The Great California ShakeOut is an annual event that aims to raise awareness about how to prepare for a major quake.
The ShakeOut will begin at 10:18 a.m., when participants across the state will practice what to do when an earthquake hits. More than 9 million people have registered to join the exercise so far. Find out who's participating here.
Locally, Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Sequoia Union High School District office, and Canada College are registered to participate. The San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services will also be participating.
Here are other ways to participate in the ShakeOut. Search events by county or area here.
The annual event is an opportunity for:
- Creating or updating emergency plans
- Creating or updating disaster supplies kits
- Participating in first aid classes or community response team trainings
- Securing furniture, heavy objects, wall hangings, etc. to prevent damage and injury
- Retrofitting your building(s)
- Evacuating buildings (after Drop, Cover, and Hold On)
- Activating of Emergency Operations Center(s)
- Testing communications plans
- Simulating emergency response procedures
- Conducting a tabletop exercise for decision-makers
The ShakeOut is intended to simulate the impact of a magnitude-7.8 earthquake originating from the southernmost area of the San Andreas Fault. Under this scenario, a tectonic shift would produce waves of movement for hundreds of miles over four minutes.
Interested participants can promote the exercise and earthquake preparedness using these resources.
Think you know what do when an earthquake strikes? Test your knowledge with this quiz. And see if you'd "Beat the Quake" here.
Is your school participating? Tell us about it in the comments below.
