UofO urged to shake, rattle and roll in Jan. 26 drill

Thousands of Oregonians are expected to “drop, cover and hold on” when Oregon’s largest-ever earthquake drill is staged Jan. 26 by a variety of statewide partners, including the University of Oregon’s Emergency Management Program and Department of Geological Sciences.

The Great Oregon ShakeOut – a one-minute drill that begins at 10:15 a.m. – is modeled after similar drills that have been conducted in California since 2008. Organizers stress the strategy of “drop, cover and hold” as the best strategy for personal safety in the event of an earthquake – drop to the floor, cover yourself underneath a desk or other sturdy furniture and hold on until the shaking stops.

The UO will test its UO Alert! text notification and Smart Classroom systems at the same time as the earthquake drill, to serve as a reminder to participate.

Organizers of the Great Oregon ShakeOut urge those wishing to participate to register before Jan. 26 at http://www.shakeout.org/oregon/. To register for prizes that will be awarded to participating faculty and staff, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/shakeout.