Two Days ‘Til We Shake

October 15 is the Great Shakeout, the annual festival of earthquake awareness, upon which we drop to the ground, cover (or, preferably take cover), and hold on until the shaking stops.

This yearly opportunity to practice with our families— including kids and pets—makes the whole scary earthquake thing more digestible and manageable because we act it out and get to the other side, building confidence and muscle memory.

You know how in slasher movies the intended victim often freezes and screams or runs away ineptly and slowly, stumbling, and eventually crashes into whatever is chasing it? That won’t happen to you because your body will remember the drill: Drop, Cover, Hold on.

It’s simple. It’s effective. It’s in two days.

Get the Neighbors Involved

Ideally, you will work with your neighbors on the drill. If your neighborhood is already enrolled in the Map Your Neighborhood program, then you can use this special day to practice everything you’ve learned to do in the first 60 minutes after the shaking stops:

• Check on the members of your household.

• Post the OK or Help sign.

• Check on your immediate neighbors.

• Go to the neighborhood meeting place.

• Break into teams:

  • MYN Captains

  • Response Coordinators

  • Communications

  • People Search & Aid

  • Utility & Street Safety

  • First Aid

  • Care & Shelter

• Complete your assignments.

• Fill out forms.

• Communicate with your local Disaster Hub.

• Take the injured to the Hub.

Sign up

You don’t have to sign up, but it helps track how many people are participating around the globe.

The “earthquake” happens at 10:15 a.m. on 10/15. Happy Shaking!