AUSD Schools to Participate in Great California ShakeOut

From Alameda Unified School District:

Students and staff at Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) schools will participate in the Great California ShakeOut on October 20, along with about 9.5 million other Californians.

The drill, which was launched in 2008, gives individuals and organizations a chance to practice behaviors that can help them survive and recover from a major earthquake. The drills are based on decades of research into what happens physically during an earthquake, as well as how best to respond and what motivates people to prepare.

The California ShakeOut is part of the larger, national Great ShakeOut event, which is expected to draw 35 million participants this year, making it the largest earthquake drill ever held.

“Living in the Bay Area, we all know an earthquake could strike at any time,” says Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. “This annual drill is a great way for all of us in the AUSD community to make sure we’re prepared and to practice protecting ourselves.”

At 10:20 am on October 20, AUSD school sites will practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” which refers to the recommended:

1. Drop onto your hands and knees (to avoid getting knocked down).

2. Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand (for protection) or, if possible, crawl under asturdy table or chair or next to an interior wall (away from windows).

3. Hold on to the table or chair if you’re under one or cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.

Superintendent McPhetridge urged AUSD families to use the ShakeOut as an opportunity to replenish earthquake supplies, discuss best practice responses with students, and create or review a family emergency plan. Earthquake preparedness resources for families are listed below.

“What we do to prepare now will determine how well we can survive and recover in the event of an earthquake,” McPhetridge says. “This is an excellent opportunity to practice our response and identify what we all can do to keep ourselves, our families, our schools, and our community safer.”

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