Thank you for wanting to know more about ShakeOut! Below are common questions ShakeOut organizers receive. Please sort through the list and if you still need help, contact us.

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What and when is ShakeOut? How do I / we participate?

At a minimum, ShakeOut is a one-minute earthquake drill - you decide when, how, and where you want do it, and with whom.

International ShakeOut Day is every third Thursday of October, when most schedule their ShakeOut drills and other earthquake preparedness activities. This annual date was selected back in 2009, when most schools agreed this was the best time. In , International ShakeOut Day is .

Future International ShakeOut Days
2026:	10/15	2027:	10/21	2028:	10/19	2029:	10/18

You or your organization, however, may hold your ShakeOut drill on another day of the year that you find most convenient. This means that wherever you are at the date and time you designate—at home, at work, at school, anywhere—at the very least you should practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On as if there were a major earthquake occurring at that very moment, and stay in this position for one minute (or more, as you see fit).

You can always do much more for your ShakeOut, such as a response or tabletop exercise, communications test, or activity in which you secure items that could fall or fly in a real earthquake. Learn more: ShakeOut.org/howtoparticipate.

The main goal of the ShakeOut is to get the world prepared for earthquakes, so use the ShakeOut as an opportunity to learn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake.

Everyone, everywhere should participate, from an individual in their home (or even car!) to a school and even a major corporate office. Talk to your friends, family, and co-workers about the ShakeOut and encourage their participation.

Register for free at ShakeOut.org/register to be counted and listed in your community, get email updates, and have the peace of mind knowing that you have taken action to be more prepared and ready for earthquakes.

Is an earthquake actually going to happen on ?

The ShakeOut is a DRILL planned this year, in most areas, for , We are not predicting an earthquake to occur, though because many areas of the world are seismically active region it's not impossible.

Will amateur radio operators be involved? At what frequency will you be broadcasting?

Local ham radio operators may already be participating near you! We do not set rules or requirements for such groups. So if you are in the amateur radio community, the real question is, what will YOU be doing? What can you organize for your community? We ask that everyone interested in participating in the ShakeOut use every tool available to them to get the word out about earthquake safety and to take the steps they would take during an earthquake as a part of the drill.

How do I protect myself in an earthquake? I have heard about Drop, Cover, and Hold On, but what happened to the "Doorframe" or "Triangle of Life" theory? Why shouldn't I run outside?

Current guidance and recommendations for what to do during an earthquake is available at EarthquakeCountry.org/step5. This includes a link to a special report about the discredited Triangle of Life concept. Getting into a doorway should never have been recommended as it does not provide any protection from falling or flying objects, and you likely will not be able to stand during strong shaking. Running outside is also dangerous as exterior building elements often fall and can injure you; running anywhere is dangerous during earthquake shaking as you can easily trip and fall.

Do you have videos, presentations, or audio files to help guide our ShakeOut drill?

Yes! Please see ShakeOut.org/drill/broadcast for audio and video files you can download in English and Spanish or play via YouTube. We also have Drill Leader Presentations for several organizational types which include these audio files and other guidance and suggested discussion topics for showing before and during your drill.

How do I register for ShakeOut? Why should I?

Register for free at ShakeOut.org/register to be counted and listed in your community, get email updates, and have the peace of mind knowing that you have taken action to be more prepared and ready for earthquakes.

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ShakeOut Profile Issues

I made a mistake on the registration form. How can I correct it?

Please log in to your ShakeOut profile to update any incorrect or new information, where you can also update your contact information, such as name, email, phone, username, and password, by clicking the dark orange "Update Your Registration" button. If you have not renewed for this year, you will have to renew by clicking the dark orange “Renew Your Registration…” button and update such information through the form.

Where do I get a certificate of participation?

You are eligible for a certificate for each year you have registered. Just log in to your profile where you will find options for retrieving past years’ certificates, if you were registered. Look underneath the dark orange rectangular “Update” or “Renew” button on your profile dashboard to see certificates you can download.

If you have not registered for the current year, be sure to renew your ShakeOut registration to download certificates once they are available (typically a few weeks before Internatioinal ShakeOut Day. If you need a certificate earlier, please send a request via the contact us form.

How do I register multiple locations?

For registering a few locations, please go to ShakeOut.org/register to make your first registration. Then head back and make a new registration with your same email address. The system may prompt that you have used this email address before, click to proceed with making a new registration with your same email address. Of-course, you can use different email addresses if you wish too.

If you have many locations (3 or more), please contact us for special assistance; provide your full contact information.

I am the new contact for my organization, how do I get a hold of our account?

Please contact us for special assistance; provide your full contact information.

How do I reset my password? / I forgot my password.

Head to ShakeOut.org/login, select your region, then click "Reset Password".

I haven’t received anything about the ShakeOut. Am I registered?

Unfortunately you may not have received information because your email software may consider the ShakeOut emails to be "spam" and block your receiving them. The emails may be in your "junk" folder. Look for emails from info@shakeout.org. We generally send email newsletters on a monthly basis from the spring through the fall, but you may receive other emails anytime throughout the year about your ShakeOut registration status or other special news as appropriate.

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Promoting and Reporting about ShakeOut

I’m a member of the media, how do I request an interview or other resources?

Review ShakeOut.org/media for contact information, including potential story angles and example stories.

Could someone come to speak at my organization?

California: please fill out our speaker request form at EarthquakeCountry.org/speakers.

All else: Contact us.

I want to help promote ShakeOut. How can I can help?

For posters, flyers, web banners, and other promotional items you can print or use, visit ShakeOut.org/resources. For more in-depth resources such as videos and graphics, and copy for newsletters, releases, advisories, and social media, visit ShakeOut.org/messaging.

How do I register people who are attending my outreach event?

The best approach is to use a tablet or phone and ask people for their information or let them enter it themselves.

I want to reprint information found on the ShakeOut website. May I do this?

Yes, you may. However, we do ask that you send us what you’re interested in reprinting if you are interested in republishing information to a large audience, so that we can make sure that nothing is taken out of context or misrepresented. Email your request to info@ShakeOut.org.

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