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The Great Central US Shakeout
October 19, 2023 @ 10:19 am
This year’s International ShakeOut Day is October 19, when millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home!
At 10:19 am (local time) on 10/19, you can join more than a million people across the Central U.S. practicing earthquake safety.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On or other recommended actions such as Lock (wheels), Cover, and Hold On – if you feel shaking or get an alert.
Your past experience in earthquakes may give you a false sense of safety; perhaps you did nothing, ran outside, or stood in a doorway, and you survived with no injuries. Or perhaps you got under your desk, and others thought you overreacted.
Yet you may never have experienced the kind of strong shaking that is possible in much larger earthquakes: sudden and intense back and forth motions of several feet per second will cause the floor or the ground to jerk sideways out from under you, and every unsecured object around you could topple, fall, or become airborne, potentially causing serious injury.
This is why you must learn the expert guidance for how to immediately protect yourself after the first jolt… or get an alert that shaking is on its way! Federal, State, and local emergency management experts and other official preparedness organizations agree that the actions described below will reduce injury and death during earthquakes.
DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.
COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand.
If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter.
If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall.
Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.
OLD ON until the shaking stops.
Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hand
Or adapt to your situation. If you have difficulty getting onto the ground, or cannot get back up again without help, then follow these recommendations:
If you use a cane: DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON or sit on a chair, bed, etc. and cover your head and neck with both hands. Keep your cane near you so it can be used when the shaking stops.
If you use a walker or wheelchair: LOCK your wheels (if applicable). If using a walker carefully get as low as possible. Bend over and COVER your head/neck with your arms, a book, or a pillow. Then HOLD ON until the shaking stops
For other accessibility recommendations see EarthquakeCountry.org/accessibility.
