Oct. 17 Earthquake drills

At 10:17 a.m. on October 17, 2013, hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in The Great Washington ShakeOut, the state’s largest earthquake drill ever! All K-12 schools and districts are encouraged to participate in the drill (or plan a more extensive exercise).

Major earthquakes may happen anywhere you live, work, or travel. The ShakeOut is our chance to practice how to protect ourselves, and for everyone to become prepared. The goal is to prevent a major earthquake from becoming a catastrophe for you, your organization, and your community.

Why is a “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drill important? To respond quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake before strong shaking knocks you down, or something falls on you. Millions of people worldwide have participated in Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills since 2008. The Great Washington ShakeOut is held on the third Thursday of October each year.

Everyone can participate! Individuals, families, businesses, schools, colleges, government agencies and organizations are all invited to register

As a registered ShakeOut Participant you will:

Learn what you can do to get prepared

• Receive ShakeOut news and other earthquake information

• Be counted in the largest earthquake drill ever!

• Set an example that motivates others to participate