The East Coast has hurricanes, the Midwest has tornadoes and California has earthquakes. 

This Oct. 17  will be the 35th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake and coincides with the annual Great ShakeOut drill, where millions of people will be practicing the “drop, cover and hold on.” The drill will be held across the district at 10:17 a.m. to practice what to do before, during and after an earthquake. 

According to the U.S Geological Survey (USGS), Skyline College lies on top of the San Andreas fault line. The CDC reported that during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, 63 people across the Bay Area lost their lives. The Bay Area is a part of a landscape where earthquakes are unavoidable and lies right on top of the most active fault; the San Andreas Fault. 

“It’s a specific day of the year where we can be more mindful and prepare for a very possible earthquake,” said Kristin Schildwater, the chief communications officer for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

Supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Great ShakeOut began in 2008 in California and its global initiative has greatly increased and is now practiced yearly by millions. The drill lasts for one minute where you find a safe spot such as underneath a desk. From there, you “drop, cover and hold on” and wait for the second part of the drill where you will evacuate the building you are in. 

The ultimate goal for this drill is to garnish attention for the possible earthquake hazards and safety measures that are put into place. 

“Students and everybody in the community should know and have the ShakeAlert system on your phone,” said Jenny Tang, the Emergency Service Planner from the San Francisco Emergency Department.

The USGS has developed a early warning earthquake detection system called the ShakeAlert. The system monitors where the earthquakes are located and magnitude so that as many people can be made aware that an earthquake is about to strike in a matter of seconds.

 To do this, text your zip code to 888-777 to receive real time emergency alerts or download the application 

Especially today on the anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, it’s a stark reminder how important it is to be prepared.