The Great California Shake Out earthquake drills throughout the Coachella Valley

At 10:20 this morning, some people across California went over drills in case of a great earthquake. In the Coachella Valley, the College of the Desert, also known as COD, partnered with the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network, also known as CVDPN. Ahead of the drill, CVDPN had a table of all the information you needed to know.

In most situations, if you feel shaking or get an earthquake alert, immediately:

DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.

COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand.

• If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter.
• If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall.
• 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.

At COD, building captains helped students and faculty safely exit the building. "Building captains had the responsibility to go door by door in the building or inside the building to ensure everyone was out," says Marvella Ordaz, International Program Assistant at COD.

In a statement from PSUSD:

All of our Palm Springs Unified School District school sites and departments participated in this morning’s drill. At Cathedral City High School, students and staff participated in a full hour-long drill that included duck, cover and hold, evacuation, sweep teams and members of the HEAL Academy providing triage services to ‘injured’ students. Cathedral City Fire Department and Mercy Air also participated in the drill.

Joan Boiko, Coordinator of Communications & Community Outreach 

"I think if you've ever experienced any form of a disaster, it kind of resonates with you," says Carla Sullivan-Dilley. She has experienced multiple natural disasters and dedicated her life to preparing others.

From USGS, here is what you should do DURING an earthquake:

•  If you are INDOORS -- STAY THERE! Get under a desk or table and hang on to it (Drop, Cover, and Hold on!) or move into a hallway or against an inside wall. STAY CLEAR of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture or appliances. GET OUT of the kitchen, which is a dangerous place (things can fall on you). DON'T run downstairs or rush outside while the building is shaking or while there is danger of falling and hurting yourself or being hit by falling glass or debris.
• If you are OUTSIDE -- get into the OPEN, away from buildings, power lines, chimneys, and anything else that might fall on you.
• If you are DRIVING -- stop, but carefully. Move your car as far out of traffic as possible. DO NOT stop on or under a bridge or overpass or under trees, light posts, power lines, or signs. STAY INSIDE your car until the shaking stops. When you RESUME driving, watch for breaks in the pavement, fallen rocks, and bumps in the road at bridge approaches.
• If you are in a MOUNTAINOUS AREA -- watch out for falling rock, landslides, trees, and other debris that could be loosened by quakes.
• If you are near the OCEAN - see these safety rules from NOAA's Tsunami Warning Center.

Prepare to survive and recover with the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

Protect yourself during an earthquake: Drop, Cover, and Hold On!
For non-English speaking members of your family, neighborhood or community: resources in their language