(City of Pocatello Press Release, October 17, 2023)
The City of Pocatello will join with more than 50 million people around the globe in the 2023 Great ShakeOut Drill.
Thursday, October 19 at 10:19 a.m., City of Pocatello employees will participate in the worldwide earthquake drill. The drill allows participants to practice the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” technique to protect themselves in the event of a real earthquake. According to shakeout.org, in most situations, you can reduce your chance of injury in an earthquake if you:
- DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to a shelter if one is 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 the 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
After employees practice the “Drop, Cover, Hold On!” techniques, the exercise will also feature a mock evacuation of all City departments. Buildings will be closed for roughly 10 minutes while the drill is being conducted. No citizens will be allowed in department buildings until the exercise has ended. Citizens conducting business at the time of the drill will be escorted out, just like a real emergency, and then brought back in after the drill is over.
For more information on the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills and more on the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” technique, visit shakeout.org.
City Hall is accessible to persons with disabilities. Program access accommodations may be provided with two (2) days’ advance notice by contacting Skyler Beebe at sbeebe@pocatello.gov; 208.234.6248; or 5815 South 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho.
