The Great Central U.S ShakeOut “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drill scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Feb. 7
The Great Central U.S ShakeOut Overview
Are You Ready to ShakeOut?
200 years ago, a series of major earthquakes struck the
Mississippi River Valley along the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
Recent events remind us that damaging earthquakes can
happen at any time. With more than 40 million people living
and working in the region today, a major earthquake would
cause widespread damage and disruption.
What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards.
With earthquakes an inevitable part of our future, we must act quickly to ensure that disasters do
not become catastrophes.
The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut in February 2012 will involve more than 1 million people through
a broad-based outreach program, partnership with the media, and public advocacy by hundreds of
partners. This event is being organized by the Central United States Earthquake Consortium and
the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and
Tennessee. The ShakeOut will be centered around a simultaneous
Drop, Cover, and Hold On drillthat will be held at 10:15 AM CDT on February 7, 2012.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On is the easy‐to-remember and recommended
personal protective action to take in the event of an earthquake.
February 7th is also the 200th anniversary of the last of the 1811‐
12 earthquakes that destroyed the town of New Madrid, Missouri and
created Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee.
A key aspect of the ShakeOut is the integration of earthquake
research and the lessons learned from social science research
about why people get prepared for disasters. The result is a “teachable moment” on par
with having an actual earthquake (often followed by increased interest in getting ready for earthquakes).
The ShakeOut creates the sense of urgency that is needed for people,
organizations, and communities to get prepared, to practice what to do to be
safe, and to learn what plans need to be improved.
The ShakeOut inspires communities to work
together towards disaster preparedness, and
sets aside specific time for them to take proactive
action to become better prepared.
The 2012 ShakeOut drill will follow on the success
of the 2011 drill, where more than 3 million
people participated in the largest preparedness event
in central U.S. history. Interested participants are encouraged
to go to www.shakeout.org/centralus
and pledge their family, school,
business, or organization’s participation in the drill.
Registered participants will receive
information on how to plan their drill and
how to create a dialogue with others
about earthquake preparedness.
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