Earthquake Drill Procedures

• Once the drill is announced, all teachers and students will conduct the DROP Procedure (duck, cover and hold). This procedure consists of everyone dropping to their knees, taking cover under a table or desk, protecting their head with arms if not under a table or desk, and face away from windows or mirrors. (Note: In an actual earthquake, teachers shall immediately instruct students to the DROP Procedure (duck, cover, and hold) until the earth movement stops, and then evacuate the building immediately).

• All students, teachers, and other employees shall quickly leave the building in an orderly manner.

• Teachers shall take with them to the evacuation area the student roster

• Teachers shall ascertain that no student remains in the classroom by placing the red or green laminated sheet found in the Red Crisis Folder (i.e. green meaning all clear in the classroom and red meaning there is a problem in the classroom)

• Teachers shall leave the doors open as they are leaving the room – as to not have the doors jam/shift in an actual earthquake.

• Teachers shall be prepared to select alternate exits and shall direct their classes to these exits whenever the designated escape route is blocked.

• All students, teachers, and other employees shall not walk directly under the corridors. They shall walk away from the building then onto the escape route.

• Custodians shall secure the main valve shut offs (1) Gas, (2) Electric, (3) Water – in this order based on the situation (i.e. go to the location of all valves)

• Staff shall wheel out to the evacuation area the Disaster Cart (i.e. black trash can on wheels).

• Staff shall take with them out to the evacuation area the list of students needing medication, the medication, and the list of handicapped students.

• The school administrator shall make sure that all classrooms are accounted for by having in place a check-in system for each classroom (i.e. having a runner from each classroom coming up to the school administrator indicating “Room ____ all present”.

• Assemble and identify the Student Release Team.

• Assemble and identify the Disaster Medical Team.

• Assemble and identify the Search and Rescue Team Station. The school administrator shall keep a record of each Earthquake/Disaster Drill and mail it to Business, Risk Management and Benefits Department when required. 

How to Have an Effective Emergency Drill

How to have a GOOD Emergency Drill

Obviously we are a little excited about the Great ShakeOut this Thursday! How fun to know that

all around your state at the same time a large population of people are sitting under their tables

and desks at work, home, school, other public places. (Someone should put together a video

slideshow of people in different places doing the “Great Shake”). It’s an earthquake flash mob!

Outside of the fun, emergency drills are one of the most important ways to be prepared. Having

all your food storage, emergency plans, and bug out kits mean little, if you haven’t practiced

enough to put them into action without a review first. Emergency drills help make something

instinctive and natural that would other wise require direction and thinking. Having regular

effective emergency drills replaces panic and fear with a reflex for action, it’s the glue that holds

all our other preparations together.

We all remember the fire drills from grade school days. Everyone calmly excited the building,

your teacher guided you down the hall and you continued to chat with your friends over the

piercing scream of alarms. Yes we were conditioned to act in a disaster… like we were going out

for a loud and boring recess. I remember well having a bomb scare in high school. The only

reason we knew it was actually a bomb threat was our teacher FREAKED out. No one told her

there was drill today, therefore it was REAL. Every one elses reaction, “a bomb threat cool, do

you think we’ll get to go home early? So what did you do last night?” There was a calm exit

(minus the teacher), but shouldn’t we have been a little more effected? Contrast this with a good

friend who decided to give her cub scouts a real drill. The alarms went off, the lights went out,

and those well trained kids made my teacher’s reaction look sane! She said it was total chaos.

Even though she had told them we are doing a fire drill. No one was conditioned to react under

real circumstances. This is also why the military requires soldiers to go through boot camp, then

condition them under real circumstances. The difference between a GOOD drill and a BAD drill is

the circumstances around it. Earthquake drills in particular – seriously – the alarms are going to

go off before the shaking?!

The Keys of a Good Drill

1. Don’t just drill for fires, have earthquakes, tornadoes, evacuations (make it a race). Be

specific to the disasters you are at risk for  – emergency drills should cover all the disasters

that are specific to your area.

2. Review- every good emergency drill should have a review on what will happen and what

everyone should do. You can use the disaster fact sheets, or the posts on disasters that we

have been adding each Friday. Just be sure to go over what needs to happen to be safe. The

Great ShakeOut has aplanning guide and lots of help in planning a super Emergency Drill.

3. Review your emergency plan – this is one area that my school had right. They always gave

specific directions of their route, and where they would meet and what they would do when

they got there. Emergency drills are great for putting your plan into action and making sure

that it works for different situations. Besides, no planning means chaos.

4. Do monthly emergency drills- Review what to do at the beginning of the month and warn

them – this month we will have an earthquake drill (other chosen disaster). Always make

them spontaneous.

5. Disasters don’t respect your time or schedule, neither should your emergency drills. Night

time drills are especially important. Most kids probably think a disaster will only hit between

the hours of 9 and 3, and somewhere close to the end of the month. Remember we are

conditioning for REAL conditions. This includes weather conditions too.

Simulating the environment of a disaster is a vital key to an effective drill.

Simulate the disaster as closely as possible. One of my favorite things about the Great

ShakeOut is the audio file that you can download from their site to play during the drill!

Genius! No one realizes that disasters aren’t quiet and the loudest thing won’t be the fire

alarms. Like I mentioned earlier, hit the lights. There will be no power in a disaster and we

need to be prepared to react in the dark. Besides there is something about having the power

go out that seems to make things a little more serious. Serious in this case is GOOD. If

possible shake the furniture if you have kids. They need to understand in an earthquake,

things will be moving, and the importance of holding on for dear life.

6. After the emergency drill is over conduct an evaluation. How did your plan work? What

took you by surprise? Discuss the conditions were you not able to simulate, so everyone is

aware and prepared for them in a real disaster. What changes do you need to make to your

emergency plan? What were some hazards that were around you (heavy furniture that would

have fallen in an earthquake, etc) and how can your remedy these? How are you feeling?

What would be the next step, if this was a real disaster. This is the MOST important part of an

emergency drill. If you never test it and evaluate it, then you can’t fix potential problems and

you make a habit of incorrect reflexes. This is something that no one can afford in a disaster.

As my husband’s football coach always said, “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Practice it right,

and you will truly be prepared! So go out and do the shake!

What is the importance of having an earthquake - It makes us ready and alert .- To prevent accidents and unexpected situations or happenings . - When you practice what to do in an emergency, you don't have to worry about what to do when the emergency happens, and people are less likely to panic, do the wrong thing, and get hurt.

Safety tips on how to survive an earth quake threat before, during and after the earth quake event.

As unpredictable events of nature, earthquakes can cause much damage and destruction and much loss of life. During an earthquake injury and death to persons are usually caused by falling objects and collapsing buildings. In order to minimize the impact that earthquakes can have it is most important that safety precautions are observed and adhered to. The following safety precautions take into consideration: a. Before an earthquake. b. During an earthquake.

c. After an earthquake.

BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE

1. Potential earthquake hazards in the home and workplace should be removed and corrected. Top-heavy furniture and objects, such as book cases and storage cabinets, should be fastened to the wall and the largest and heaviest objects placed on lower shelves.

2. Supplies of food and water, flashlight, a first-aid kit and a battery-operated radio should be set aside for use in emergencies.

3. One or more family members should have a working knowledge of first-aid measures because medical facilities nearly are always overloaded during an emergency or disaster, or may, themselves, be damaged beyond use. 4. All family members should know what to do to avoid injury and panic. They should know how to turn off the electricity, water and gas. They should know the locations of the main switch valves. This is particularly important for teenagers who are likely to be alone with smaller children.

DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

1. The most important thing to do during an earthquake is to remain CALM. If you can do so then you are less likely to be injured. Also, those around you will have a greater tendency to be clam if you are calm. 2. Make no moves or take no action without thinking about the possible consequences. Any irrational movement may be an injurious one.

3. If you are inside stay there. Stand in a doorway or crouch under a desk or table, away from windows or glass fixture 4. If you are outside, stay there. Stay away from objects such as light poles, buildings, trees and telephone and electric wires, which could fall and injure you.

5. If you are in an automoblie, drive away from underpasses/overpasses, and stop in the safest place possible and stay there.

AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

1. After an earthquake the most important thing to do is to check for injuries in your family and in the neighbourhood. Seriously injured persons should not be moved unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. First-aid should be administered, but only by someone who is qualified or has a working knowledge of first-aid. 2. Evacuate the building as soon as the shaking stops. Carefully inspect the exterior of the building for cracks in walls, shifted posts and pillars. If you see anything other than minor cracks do no re-enter the building until it has been inspected for safety by a professional.

3. Check for safety-hazards - gas, water sewage breaks; downed power lines and electrical short circuits, damaged and weakened buildings and foundations, fires and fire hazards. 4. Turn off appropriate utilities. Do not use matches, lighters or open flame, appliances or electrical switches until you are sure that there are no gas leaks.

5. Do not use the telephone except in extreme emergency.

6. Wear shoes and protective clothing, for example, hard hats and gloves, to avoid injuries while clearing debris. 7. Keep battery-operated radios and listen for emergency bulletins. 8. If electrical power is off for any length of time use the foods in your refridgerator and freezer before they spoil. Canned and dry foods should be saved for last.

9. Co-operate with all public safety and relief organizations. Do not go into damaged areas unless authorized by appropriate personnel.

10. Be prepared for additional earthquake shock.