10/11/2026
Earthquakes may happen anywhere you work, live, or travel. In an earthquake, you may only have seconds to protect yourself before strong shaking knocks you down, or something falls on you. That’s why millions of people will practice earthquake-safe actions on Thursday, 15 October in the ShakeOut Drill. Why? Because when the adrenaline kicks in, you may not act safely if you haven’t practiced the Drop, Cover, Hold On drill before that moment. It’s pretty simple to do.
DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter, like a desk or table, if nearby. If you are using a wheeled mobility device, LOCK your wheels. If you cannot get down to the ground, sit down.
COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand
• If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter if possible.
• If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
• Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs
• If seated, cover your head and neck with both arms as possible.
HOLD ON until 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.
While we may not experience large scale earthquakes frequently here in Oklahoma, this is still great for when we do have them or if you’re traveling where they happen more frequently. Grab your friends and family and have them practice with you. Bonus points if you snap a picture and send it to us!
