Today:

• Register as an organization to be counted in the ShakeOut Drill, get email updates, and more..

Between now and October 18:

• Consider what may happen in a major earthquake and plan what you will do now to prepare, so that when it happens your group will be able to recover quickly.


• Talk to other senior facilities/communities about what they have done, and encourage them to join you in getting more prepared.


• Download audio and video "drill broadcast" recordings to play during your drill (Video versions have text captions).

October 18, 10:18 a.m.:

1. Drop, Cover, and Hold On: Have your residents   Drop to the ground, take Cover under a table or desk, and Hold On to it as if a major earthquake were happening (stay down for at least 60 seconds). Practice now so you will immediately protect yourself during earthquakes! (See this page for what to do if in bed, outside, driving, in a tall building, or other situations.) For people with disabilities or access and functional needs, download our preparedness guide (661 KB) PDF.
   
   
2. While still under the table, or wherever you are, look around and imagine what would happen in a major earthquake. What would fall on you or others? What would be damaged? What would life be like after? What will you do before the actual earthquake happens to reduce losses and quickly recover?
   
   
3. Finally, you can practice what you will do after the shaking stops.


4. After your drill is complete, have discussions about what was learned and incorporate these lessons into your disaster plan.

What we do now, before the next big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like after.

• Visit MyHazards (California Governors Office of Emergency Services) to discover the hazards that exist in your area and learn how to reduce YOUR risk!


• Help your residents to get prepared. More information is in the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety.


• Create a block captain plan to go door-to-door to educate your residents on emergency preparedness.


• Invite the Fire Department to your next meeting to explain earthquake safety practices for your neighborhood.


• Host a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training in your community.


• Create and practice a neighborhood earthquake plan.


• Make sure all your residents have an “OK/HELP” sign for their windows. Educate them that after an earthquake, they should post the sign in the window so neighbors know that everything is ok or that help is needed.


• Provide non-English speaking residents with written preparedness information in their language.

• Encourage your members to register as individuals or families.


• Ask neighborhood businesses to display posters about ShakeOut in their windows and flyers at their counters.


• Tell everyone to watch "Preparedness Now", a compelling film that depicts what will happen in a "big one," and other videos.


• Organize a ShakeOut Block Party. Invite residents for coffee and share personal and family preparedness information and discuss what individuals and their families can do to ShakeOut. You can also exchange phone numbers, and create an of inventory special skills (search and rescue, first aid, equipment) and needs (elderly, children, pets, medication, etc.) in your community. Have a computer so everyone can register while there, especially those without internet access.


• Once you are registered, you will receive ShakeOut preparedness tips, event updates, and more. Forward these to your membership and ask them to forward the e-mails to everyone who matters to them. With your help this can become the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history!