In unity with millions of people statewide, San Diego State will participate in the Great California ShakeOut this Thursday at 10:20 a.m.
University safety coordinators said no single event will trigger the drill and there will be no building evacuations. It is up to individual colleges and faculty members to participate at the appropriate time.
Those on campus will practice the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” protocol.
The protocol advises participants to drop to the ground. Cover by getting underneath a table or chair if either is in sight. Lastly, hold on tightly until the shaking stops.
The Great California ShakeOut reminds residents running outside or standing underneath a doorway are not good ideas.
When earthquakes occur, individuals have only seconds to protect themselves from injury or death.
Prior to the earthquake drill, SDSU Police will test the Mass Notification System. Loudspeakers will serve as reminders to the entire campus of communication tools available in the case of a real emergency.
At approximately 10:15 a.m. an SDSU text message alert will be sent out. Students, faculty or staff can sign up for this and other emergency alerts on WebPortal.
There are other communication methods people can use during actual emergencies. The SDSU Facebook page and Twitter feed will be updated frequently for up-to-date safety information.
For example, if a student is inside a lecture hall during the drill, the best protocol is to stay in his or her seat. Students are advised to protect their heads and necks for two minutes. Following this, group discussion may take place in the lecture hall.
To learn about more about “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” as well as alternate safety methods students, faculty and staff can visit shakeout.org/resources.
The university said it is important to be prepared for potential disasters because California has a higher incidence of earthquakes than the rest of the country. The event on campus is meant to help prepare students to react quickly in the event of a real emergency.
