Full Notification

Today the Great Central U.S. Shakeout will be taking place. This is a good opportunity to email businesses, schools, and organizations to participate in an Earthquake Drill.
Drill On Drop, Cover, and Hold

Basic Instructions for your Drill
Here is how to have a basic Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill, and suggestions for what to do afterwards (many organizations are doing MUCH more than just this):
• If you have downloaded the drill broadcast, begin playing it at 10:15a.m., or you may find a radio or TV station that is playing the broadcast.

• At 10:15a.m., practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On for at least 60 seconds (the length of the drill broadcast):
o DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!)
o Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table (or against a wall with your arms covering your head/neck), and
o HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops (in this case, 60 seconds)

• After you practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On, talk with those around you about what might happen in a real earthquake, what you learned by practicing, and how you can reduce the risk of injury (at home, work, or school) by securing your space.

• After your drill, visit www.ShakeOut.org/centralus/share and share photos, videos, and stories from your drill. The first 30 stories to be submitted will receive a mini-emergency preparedness kit.

Have You Seen These Drill Resources?

To help you hold your Shakeout drill, we have several resources available on the website, including:
• 60-second ShakeOut Drill Broadcast audio and video recordings are now available (including versions with earthquake sound effects). Download the recordings (or view on YouTube) to play over your PA system, closed-circuit television system, or on individual computers. Additionally, some radio and TV stations will play the recordings on ShakeOut day.
• Simple instructions for how to participate are available for a variety of ShakeOut participant categories, and include custom preparedness information and suggestions for how you can share the ShakeOut with others.
• We have several different Drill Manuals and Earthquake Scenarios that will help you lead a ShakeOut drill. Each manual has instructions for multiple levels of drills, from a very basic Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill to a more comprehensive exercise of your disaster plan. The scenarios give you an idea of what kinds of things you might expect after a damaging earthquake occurs. There is also a new drill manual for individuals and families, which can be downloaded here.

Share the ShakeOut
It's not too late for people to join you in the ShakeOut… Please forward this email to colleagues, friends, family, and others to make sure they are aware of the ShakeOut and know about the drill. The ShakeOut is also on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. If you are on Twitter, we encourage you to ‘tweet’ about your drill. During your drill, use the “#ShakeOut” hashtag in your posts to be listed with others. And don't forget afterwards to visit www.ShakeOut.org/centralus/share and share photos, videos, and stories from your drill.

Thank you for your participation in this historic event and for your commitment to disaster preparedness!