Millions to Drop, Cover & Hold On in Today's Great CA Shakeout
Seismologists keep saying the big one's coming, and California isn't taking any of the warnings lightly. Today the Golden State will host the third annual Great California Shakeout. A total of 8.6 million Californians are participating in the earthquake preparedness drill. School children and office workers will practice basic quake survival skills by crawling under their desks and holding onto their desks or chairs. Additionally, emergency responders and hospitals will stage search-and-rescue missions and mass casualty exercises.
The southern end of the San Andreas Fault has not experienced a significant rupture since 1690, making L.A. more than 200 years overdue for a 7.0 earthquake or greater. MySafe:LA, the L.A. Fire Department, the Southern California Gas Company and the Community Emergency Response Team are joining forces today to school Angelenos on proper earthquake safety protocol.
The groups will conduct a two hour drill at Bushnell Elementary School in L.A. Students will stop, drop and hold on during a simulated earthquake. Following the fake quake, the school will morph into a scene of simulated evacuations and trapped/missing disaster victims.
"Every single day at MySafe:LA, we teach kids in Los Angeles how to be safe in emergencies,” said MySafe:LA Executive Officer David Barrett. “But on October 20th, we’re taking our usual education program to a whole new level. This will be a full fledged LAFD drill, complete with moulage victims, trapped students, USAR and heavy rescue apparatus, and FEMA search and rescue teams. This will not only be a learning experience for the kids of Bushnell Elementary, but essential training for the LAFD and CERT."
The fire department will play along, bringing in heavy rescue and US&R apparatus plus FEMA search dogs and handlers. ”It’s definitely making for a more educated community, and a more educated community is a more prepared community, and a more prepared community is a safer community,” said Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Brian Cummings. “And MySafe:LA is doing that, it’s helping us build a more resilient Los Angeles.”
Here's the drill rundown:
0900hrs — Command Post is established on site at Bushnell Elementary School
0930hrs — Presentation on earthquake readiness by MySafe:LA (includes Spanish presentation)
1010hrs — Students to their classrooms
1020hrs — Drop, Cover, & Hold On drill (in alignment with the Great Shakeout)
1022hrs — All students evacuate to playground, per policy (involves all teachers and LAUSD evac plan)
1025hrs — call for "help" comes from two (2) classrooms
1030hrs — CERT team rescues classroom one, and treats minor "injuries"
1035hrs — LAFD (12s) rescues classroom two, and treats multiple "injuries" (w/additional resources)
10:45hrs - LAFD K9 dog performs a search for a missing student
1055hrs — Drill is complete
