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WHAT
Earthquakes can strike at any time without warning. When the earth starts to shake, people need to know how to best protect themselves. The Great Oregon ShakeOut is part of a global drill for people to practice how to stay safe during an earthquake.

WHO
Over half a million Oregonians have registered to take part in this year’s self-led Great ShakeOut drill, pledging to Drop (or Lock), Cover and Hold On for at least 60 seconds as if a major earthquake was occurring at that moment.

WHEN
The Great ShakeOut takes place at 10:20 a.m. today. NOTE: Some locations opt to hold their drill at different times. Please do not show up at a venue without checking their details first.

WHERE
The Great Oregon ShakeOut is happening at schools, businesses, government agencies, homes and more. View the list of participants by county and organization here.

Eugene media-specific location:

• McCornack Elementary, 1968 Brittany St, Eugene
• Media should arrive by 10 a.m. The drill will take place at 10:20 a.m.
• Interviews available: McCornack Elementary Principal Dana Brummett, Eugene School District 4J Superintendent Dr. Andy Dey, Oregon Emergency Management Deputy Director Matt Marheine, and McCornack students
• Media contacts: Jenna McCulley, Eugene School District 4J Director of Communications: 541-913-1244; Chris Crabb, OEM Public Affairs Officer, 971-719-0089

Portland media-specific location:

• Lincoln High School, 1750 SW Salmon St, Portland
• Media should arrive at the entrance by 9:15 a.m. The drill will take place at 9:45 a.m.
• Interviews available: Lincoln High School Vice Principal Chris Brida, Portland Public Schools Bond Communications Manager David Mayne, and students
• Media contact: David Mayne, 503-320-3772
• NOTE: Benson Polytechnic High School at 546 NE 12th Ave. is currently receiving seismic upgrades; David Mayne can make arrangements to also visit the school for video footage.

OEM QUOTES
“The earthquake that struck Linn County on Oct. 7 rattled some folks and was a wake-up call that we live in earthquake country,” said Oregon Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. “Knowing what to do when the earth starts shaking helps people reduce their risk and better protect themselves to prepare for earthquakes. Every person in Oregon should practice Drop, Cover and Hold On until it becomes a familiar routine. It’s an effective and no-cost addition to your preparedness plan.”

“A Cascadia quake will devastate the entire Pacific Northwest region, impacting critical infrastructure like energy, drinking water and sewer services, transportation routes and lifesaving health-care facilities for weeks to months or longer,” said Phelps. “Knowing this makes it even more important to build a culture of preparedness in the state. Half a million Oregonians practicing earthquake preparedness at the same time is impressive, but it’s not enough. We need to work toward every Oregonian registering for the Great Oregon ShakeOut as an important step toward keeping themselves safe in the event of a Cascadia quake.”

NO-COST, LOW-COST PREPAREDNESS STEPS
• Make an emergency plan.
• Secure your space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items
• Sign up to receive local emergency alerts at ORAlert.org.
• Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on cell phones. People in Oregon, Washington and California who’ve opted into WEA automatically receive ShakeAlert earthquake early warnings notifications (for quakes in their area with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater), which can offer critical seconds of warning to seek cover from falling objects and brace themselves. 
• Practice Drop, Cover and Hold On until it becomes routine.
• OEM’s 2 Weeks Ready program offers several resources in multiple languages to help people prepare.

Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills - Messages, Graphics, and Other Resources