Thousands across Lake County to take part in Great California ShakeOut
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – More than 6.1 million Californians – including several thousand Lake County residents – will take part in earthquake-readiness drills and education on Thursday as part of the Great California ShakeOut.
Also known as International ShakeOut Day, the Great ShakeOut takes place each year on the third Thursday of October.
A statewide drill will take place at 10:15 a.m., but the event highlights the importance of ongoing preparedness.
Participants will practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On," the protocol recommended by earthquake safety experts as essential for avoiding injury and even death.
Organizers said more than 27.7 million people across the United States and in more than 60 other countries will hold their own earthquake drills too in 2020 as part of the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills movement.
"Damaging earthquakes can strike at any time, and the Great California ShakeOut drill is an important reminder of what we need to do in order to survive and recover. Earthquakes are a reality, but they don't have to be devastating; strengthen your home now and get prepared," said Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority. "With our healthcare system already stressed by COVID-19, we all need to take steps to keep ourselves safe when the ground shakes."
Earthquake Warning California is coordinating a statewide test to coincide for the first time with ShakeOut on Thursday. People who have downloaded the MyShake app to their phone will receive a TEST warning around 10:15 a.m. with guidance to “drop, cover and hold on!”
ShakeOut participants in the Western United States are also encouraged to join a Facebook Live event from 8:45 to 10:20 a.m. known as "The Great Online ShakeOut." This online, live broadcast – available to anyone, even without a Facebook page – will feature a drill for everyone to participate in, presentations from earthquake experts representing government, emergency management, and science, key videos and other resources, and a Q&A.
In Lake County, approximately 8,418 participants are registered to take part in the ShakeOut, including 7,974 in school districts, 240 in health care, 108 in local government, 50 in nonprofit organizations and 40 in preparedness organizations.
Among the local participants is Adventist Health. Its Adventist Health Clear Lake Medical Center and Medical Offices will conduct Great ShakeOut drills Thursday morning.
“While damaging earthquakes here may be fewer in number when compared to other areas, they can occur at any time wherever we work, live, or travel within the region and beyond,” said Adventist Health Emergency Manager Kimberly Baldwin. “Everyone, everywhere should know how to protect themselves from an earthquake.”
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in parts of Lake County, especially the Cobb area, where quakes related to the Geysers Geothermal Steamfield are commonly felt. Those quakes often are in the 3- and sometimes 4-magnitude range.
On Aug. 9, 2016, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake with an epicenter 11 miles north of Upper Lake shook Lake County. Lake County News has been unable to find documentation of a larger quake recorded within Lake County’s boundaries in records going back to 1900.
In 1906, Lake County felt the impact of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated San Francisco. That quake led to the collapse of the Masonic Hall and damaged the Lakeview and Giselman hotels, damaged the original bell tower as well as the roof on the Lower Lake Schoolhouse, damaged residences around the county and shook walnut trees in Upper Lake, according to historical accounts.
When an earthquake occurs, the safe response is to:
– 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 if 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 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.
ShakeOut organizers recommend people follow the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety, a brochure for which can be downloaded at the California Earthquake Authority website.
Those steps notably begin with securing your space, as officials said most earthquake injuries are entirely preventable and are caused by the furniture and other objects that move or break when shaking occurs, resulting in trips, bruises, cuts, and more.
Officials urge California residents to be proactive and prepare now by moving heavy objects down to lower shelves, relocating tall furniture away from entrances and exits, and securing cabinets with latches.
"We have come a long way since ShakeOut began in 2008," said Mark Benthien, global ShakeOut coordinator and outreach director for the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California. "More people have not only been practicing earthquake safety, but also securing furniture and objects around them, discussing safety plans, and even retrofitting their homes. For 2020, they are also adapting their drill plans because of COVID-19."
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.