Great Shakeout Rolls Out Oct. 17

Posted on October 7, 2019

Fullerton College will be among thousands of schools and businesses across California who will participate in the Great ShakeOut Drill on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m. The earthquake and emergency preparedness drill is an opportunity for the campus to review earthquake drill procedures, test the emergency communications system, and practice evacuation protocols to ensure students and staff are well prepared for a major earthquake or disaster.

The drill is set to begin at 10:17 a.m. and will be initiated by President Greg Schulz. Campus Safety officers and building marshals will be on hand to direct students and staff to drop, cover, and hold under a desk for about one minute and then begin the evacuation process. Everyone on campus will be instructed to vacate the buildings and gather in designated evacuation areas on the campus until the drill has concluded.

The drill is expected to last about 30 minutes.

During the drill, staff will also be testing the use of the Emergency Evacuation Chair (Stryker Chair) for the evacuation of injured people and setting up a mock triage area for injured/traumatized people.

Prior to the drill, the Office of Campus Communications will test the emergency communications system that broadcasts text message, voicemail, and e-mail. Students and employees are encouraged to review and update their contact information in myGateway to assure they receive these messages.

The Great Shakeout Drill has taken place on the third Thursday in October since 2008. Many schools, businesses, and residents participate in the drill each year to evaluate and improve earthquake preparation procedures. More than 63 million Californians participated in 2018.

For a complete guide and tips on how to prepare for a major earthquake visit www.shakeout.org.

In MOST earthquakes, you will reduce your chance of injury if you:

Drop! DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby.
Cover COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand

  • If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter
  • If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
  • Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs
Hold on! HOLD ON until shaking stops

  • Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
  • No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.

If you have any questions regarding Fullerton College’s evacuation exercise, please contact Jim McKamy at (714) 732-5481 or jmckamy@fullcoll.edu.