Are you ready to ShakeOut?

Oct. 17, 2023

On Oct. 19 at 10:19 a.m., millions will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the Great ShakeOut, the world's largest earthquake drill! With over 340 million people living and working in the United States, a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. Knowing what to do before a big earthquake will determine how well you survive and recover. It is only a one-minute commitment for something that can save your life and can be done in three easy steps:

• 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; then, if a table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter – or crawl next to a wall
• HOLD ON until the shaking stops, and be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts

To help encourage this earthquake preparedness, the University of Alaska Fairbanks will test its emergency notification system this Thursday, Oct. 19. At 10:19 a.m., UAF employees and students will receive one or more test messages. Visitors to campus may also see or hear test messages. All test messages will note that they are part of the emergency notification test.

We encourage everyone to participate in earthquake drills, whether they are at home, work, or school. On Thursday, UAF employees and students are encouraged to drop, cover, and hold on when they receive the test messages, and take pictures of themselves and others practicing how they “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” and send them to kajanoski@alaska.edu. UAF has been registered as a participating organization; however, if you’d like information on how to participate and register as a ShakeOut participant, visit the Great Alaska ShakeOut website.

Thanks, and stay safe!

— UAF Office of Emergency Management

Sources: National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), FEMA.gov, ShakeOut.org