Great Washington Shake Out Oct 15 - drop, cover, and hold on

Get ready for the “big one” during the Great Washington ShakeOut on October 15

Millions of people across the country will participate in the annual ShakeOut earthquake drill on October 15, 2020 at 10:15am, local time. The drill encourages residents to practice what to do if an earthquake occurs.

In past years, the ShakeOut drill has focused on earthquake preparedness in the workplace. This year, with so many employees teleworking, many will be looking at how to get prepared at home. Among the hundreds of organizations participating, King County government is encouraging all their employees to practice drop, cover, and hold on, and to test their personal emergency plan.

“King County has experienced its fair share of emergencies in 2020, from unprecedented winter storms and floods to COVID-19. But earthquakes don’t wait, and we don’t know when we might experience one,” says Brendan McCluskey, director of King County Emergency Management. 

“We are encouraging everyone to practice the simple steps of drop, cover, and hold on.”

Practicing these simple steps helps them become second nature in case of an earthquake. Residents also should make a plan, gather emergency supplies, and talk about their plans with their loved ones and neighbors.

For information on how to better be prepared for an earthquake and to learn about the risks of earthquakes in King County, visit kingcounty.gov/ready