The Great Washington ShakeOut Returns Thursday

OLYMPIA, WA — It's that time again: The Great Washington ShakeOut is back! Every year, the ShakeOut provides Washingtonians an opportunity to practice earthquake safety in preparation for The Big One.

While it hasn't gone off for more than 300 years, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is something that should be in the back of every Washingtonian's mind: because when it does go, it'll be capable of triggering a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

That's about as serious as earthquakes get, and as a result every year thousands of Washingtonians take part in the ShakeOut to make sure their earthquake safety skills don't get rusty. In fact, the Great Washington ShakeOut says more than 1.3 million Washingtonians are already registered to take place in this year's event.

The ShakeOut officially takes place Thursday at 10:21 a.m. — though organizers say you can do it basically whenever during the day — and when it begins, participants practice the three steps you're supposed to take in a real earthquake:

1. Drop. Get down on your hands and knees. Organizers say this position helps keep you from being knocked over, and allows you to crawl to safety shelter.
2. Cover. Cover your head and neck with one arm and one hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, get underneath it for shelter. Otherwise, crall to an interior wall away from windows and stay on your knees, bent over to protect vital organs.
3. Hold on. Use your free hand to grab on to something and hold on until the shaking stops. Organizers say to be ready to move with your shelter as it shifts. If you don't have shelter, hold on to your head and neck with both hands.

Organizers say that, in a quake you should not try to get into a doorway or run outside. Both options may seem safer, but are actually much more dangerous than sheltering under a table.

On top of practicing the Drop, Cover, and Hold On emergency drill, organizers also ask that participants:

• Consider what would happen when an earthquake hits our area, and plan what you would do next.
• Talk to others about earthquake preparedness.
• Check out the ShakeOut preparedness guide for people with disabilities.

>> Learn much more about earthquake safety from The Great Washington ShakeOut's website.