Washington schoolchildren, adults drop, cover and hold
700,000 participate in earthquake drill
Jaely John, 7, left, a student at Twin Lakes Elementary School in Federal Way, takes shelter under a table with other students as they take part in an earthquake drill Thursday. Millions of people took part in the “Great Shakeout” earthquake drill across the country to practice and prepare for the possibility of real quakes in the future.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
OLYMPIA — Emergency planners in Washington estimate as many as 700,000 people participated in an earthquake drill on Thursday morning.
Individuals, schools, agencies and other groups registered to participate in the Great ShakeOut.
The drill was designed to raise awareness of the right things to do during an earthquake. State officials were asking people to "drop, cover and hold" for about a minute at 10:18 Thursday morning.
Climbing under a desk and holding on is good practice for a quake. The event is also an opportunity to learn about earthquake dangers and available resources. And a reminder to look around your office or home for potential dangers that can be prevented.
Some Washington universities used the drill as an opportunity to test their emergency alert systems.
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