It’s time to get ready for the 13th Annual Great California ShakeOut.

UC Riverside will join more than 9.4 million Californians in testing earthquake preparedness as part of the drill on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Students, staff, and faculty members will be asked to “drop, cover, and hold on” for 1 minute during the earthquake drill that will start at 10:20 a.m.

The campus will test its emergency communication systems during the self-led drill, including text, email, and voicemail alerts. Emergency messages will also be posted on social media, all campus computer screens, and some campus websites. The emergency beacon in the bell tower will also be tested as part of the drill.

Student Health Services will sound the alarm and evacuate its building as part of the exercise.

KUCR Radio (88.3 FM) will also participate with an announcement during the drill.

Emergency officials say the safest response to an earthquake is to drop, cover, and hold on. That involves dropping to your hands and knees; covering your head and neck with one hand, crawling under a table or desk for shelter if nearby; and holding on until the shaking stops.

The ShakeOut gives the campus the opportunity to evaluate the preparedness of students, staff, and faculty members, as well as UCR’s emergency notification system, said Jason Espinoza, director of UCR’s Office of Emergency Services. 

“This is the one time a year when the Office of Emergency Management and UC Riverside police department activate all emergency alert systems to ensure operability, access, and appropriate messaging to enhance UC Riverside’s awareness and preparedness in advance of a natural incident,” he said.

The campus community can learn more about earthquakes and how to prepare at an information booth that will be set up Wednesday near the bell tower by two professors from the geology department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Additional resources are also available from the Office of Emergency Management’s emergency plans page or by emailing emergency@ucr.edu. For general information on the drill throughout Southern California, visit shakeout.org/california. For earthquake preparedness tips, please visit 7 Steps to Earthquake Safety.