‘Drop, cover and hold on’ in annual ShakeOut quake drill
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Thursday was the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill, and cities across the country are learning how to respond to a large scale quake.
In Pocatello, the city finished its drill earlier Thursday morning.
Seismic activity actually happens in the Gem State almost every day with small quakes under a 3.5 magnitude that people can barely feel.
But according to Lt. Chad Higbee, you never know when a large quake will strike.
"They're learning to protect themselves inside a building. You never know. You might have different items falling on your head or something like that. And the head is what you want to protect the most, if anything. So that's why we encourage the employees to get under a desk, get in a doorway, get under something that can provide cover for you during the actual earthquake," Higbee said. "But then once the earthquake is over, we want them to exit the building and get outside the building because there's always a possibility of the ceiling collapsing post earthquake, fire, something like that."
According to the CDC, most earthquake injuries or deaths are caused by falling objects which is why the safest place to be is under a desk or sturdy table with your hands securely behind your head until the quake stops. Then you can evacuate your building.
According to shakeout.org, in most situations, you should:
- DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to a shelter if one is nearby.
- COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand
- If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter
- If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
- Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs
- HOLD ON until the shaking stops
- Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
- No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands
For more information on the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills and more on the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” technique, visit shakeout.org.
