Edmonds Community College will participate in the Great Washington ShakeOut on Oct. 15.

The Great ShakeOut encourages participants to practice how to drop, cover, and hold during an earthquake. At exactly 10:15 a.m. the drill will begin.

“Although the earthquake drill can seem disruptive to our daily schedules, working diligently to have a plan and be prepared in the face of an emergency is of critical importance and I encourage all to participate,” said Jade Broglio, Edmonds Community College Emergency Preparedness Manager and Clery Compliance Officer. “It is vital to be aware of our surroundings and have a plan in place for all types of emergencies.”

According to federal, state, and local emergency management officials, the drop, cover, and hold protocol protects lives during earthquakes.

• DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),

• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and

• HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

If there isn’t a table or desk near you, drop to the ground in an inside corner of the building and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Do not try to run to another room just to get under a table.

More than 950,000 people will be participating in this statewide drill.

In the event of a real emergency, the college will send out emergency notifications through the Triton Alert system. You can sign up for these alerts – email and text – at www.edcc.edu/alert/triton.

For more information on earthquake preparedness and the Great Washington Shake Out, visit shakeout.org/washington.