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ShakeOut, Don’t Freak Out, to Prepare for an Earthquake
The ShakeOut is back.
In 2012, Utah embarked on an earthquake preparedness campaign to help Utahns get ready for the big one. Following the example of California and other states, Utah joined the ShakeOut movement. Since that time, millions of people have participated in the Great Utah ShakeOut, the only statewide emergency drill in Utah.
It happens at 10:15 a.m. on the third Thursday in April. This year, that’s April 19!
The ShakeOut is a day of special events that happen wherever people are with the following goals:
- Teach people the correct earthquake actions of drop, cover and hold on.
- Motivate people to do more emergency preparedness because they participate together.
Did you know Utah has a 57 percent chance of an earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher in the next 50 years?
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox demonstrates the proper technique for drop, cover and hold on during a preparedness event in Clearfield in 2017.
How to make your ShakeOut drill a success:
- Remember to register at ShakeOut.org.
- On April 19, at 10:15 a.m. drop to the ground, take cover and hold on to your shelter for 1 minute.
- Want to add some realism to your drill? Download and play a drill broadcast with earthquake sounds.
- After your drill, take time to walk around your location and identify items that could topple, fall from shelves or come loose from walls and make plans to secure those items.
- Test your earthquake IQ by playing the Road to Ready game.
See you under a desk!
Joe Dougherty is the public information officer for the Division of Emergency Management
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