The ShakeOut Drill

The 2010 Great California ShakeOut is being organized statewide for October 21st at 10:21 a.m. Register today!

The ShakeOut drill will be held on the third Thursday of October each year, and other states are also discussing having ShakeOut drills beginning in 2011.

More than 6.9 million Californians participated in 2009, practicing Drop, Cover, and Hold On and other aspects of family, school, and organizational emergency plans.

For 2010, Californians are invited to also "Secure Your Space" to reduce potential damage and injuries.

Why is it important to do a Drop, Cover, Hold On drill? As with anything, to react quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake, before strong shaking knocks you down--or drops something on you.

You may have heard of a theory called "Triangle of Life," perhaps by email. Reputable emergency organizations, emergency responders, and legitimate search and rescue organizations support "Drop, Cover, and Hold On." Our special report describes this issue in detail. Also, www.dropcoverholdon.org links to a great deal of information about what to do during earthquakes.

5th grade students at St. Maria Goretti School, Long Beach, CA


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