The Great California ShakeOut
Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On October 20, 2011 at 10:20 a.m., millions of Californians will "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" in “The Great California ShakeOut.” The drill is organized to inspire Californians to get ready for big earthquakes and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. Currently, there are over 8 million registered participants in California, with over 109,000 from Ventura County.

On October 11, 2011 at 10:00 a.m., the Ventura County Board of Supervisors will present a resolution proclaiming the County of Ventura’s participation in “The Great California ShakeOut “on October 20th.

“This is a good opportunity for businesses and employers to look at their own disaster plans and educate employees on how to be prepared,” said Laura Hernandez, Assistant Director of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.

To register for the drill, go to www.shakeout.org. The free registration will pledge an individual or an organization’s participation in this important preparedness event. Participants will receive information on how to prepare for a major earthquake in the region and what actions to take during and after the shaking.

To participate in the drill, “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” as you would do in an actual earthquake, and stay in this position for at least 60 seconds.

The main goal of the ShakeOut is to get Californians prepared for major earthquakes, so use the ShakeOut as an opportunity to learn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake.

For more information of how to prepare, please visit the Ready Ventura County website at www.readyventuracounty.org. This website will display current information in the event an emergency, educate residents on the hazards in our area, and provide a resource on how to prepare, respond and recover from a disaster in our area.

Media outlets can also participate in the ShakeOut drill by broadcasting the audio or video recordings available at: http://www.shakeout.org/drill/broadcast/.

Date & Time: 10/20/11 @ 10:20 AM
Unit Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services
Staff Preparing Media Release: Cynthia Elliott, OES Program Administrator 805-654-3655
Media Release Date: October 10, 2011
Follow-Up Contact: Cynthia Elliott, OES Program Administrator 805-654-3655
Approved by: Laura D. Hernandez, OES Assistant Director 805-654-2552