All shook up

Last week, schools and businesses in the area participated in the Great Nevada ShakeOut, an effort to increase earthquake preparedness. The event, held on Oct. 18 at 10:18 a.m., led participants through a drill about what to do in the event of an earthquake: “Drop to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!); take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to your shelter and be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops,” according to the Recommended Earthquake Safety Actions guide, available on the ShakeOut website, along with other information pamphlets, such as preparedness for people with disabilities.

More than 510,000 people participated in the drill, most of whom were students in the Washoe County School District and local colleges. Every county in Nevada registered, and Washoe County had around 100,000 participants.

The Great Nevada ShakeOut is part of the global ShakeOut program, and other states and countries—including New Zealand, southern Italy and Japan—take part. While the main ShakeOut drill was Oct. 18, people were encouraged to participate throughout the month of October. To read the information pamphlets or register an organization for a drill, visit http://www.shakeout.org/nevada/.