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SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On July 4, the community of Ridgecrest was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake, followed a day later by a 7.1-magnitude quake. Those were the largest earthquakes to hit California in two decades, and they were a sobering reminder that an earthquake can hit any time and you never know if the next one will be the big one.
That is why all San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) schools and offices will participate in the Great California ShakeOut on Thursday, October 17.
Beginning at 10:17 a.m., all SBCUSD students and staff will drop, cover, and hold on. Sites will also practice emergency response procedures, such as evacuations, and reporting and coordinating with the SBCUSD Emergency Operations Center. Visitors to SBCUSD schools and offices will be required to evacuate. As in a real emergency, SBCUSD sites may be unable to answer phones and emails during the drill and evacuation.
“The more we prepare as a community, the quicker we can recover following a disaster,” Eric Vetere, SBCUSD emergency manager, said. “That’s why it’s important to always practice and have a plan. The annual Great California Shakeout is the perfect time for our entire community to practice for an earthquake.”
The Great California ShakeOut is a statewide earthquake and disaster preparedness drill. Everyone in California, including private businesses and individuals, is encouraged to participate to better prepare for natural disasters. Earthquake- and disaster-preparedness materials are available at http://www.shakeout.org/.
Parents should take this opportunity to update emergency contact information with their child’s school.
To stay up to date on emergencies affecting SBCUSD schools and communities, follow SBCUSD OES on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SBCUSD_OES, on Instagram @SBCSUD_OES, or on Facebook by searching for “SBCUSD OES.” Parents can also receive emergency notifications by installing and configuring the free SBCSUD app. Search for “San Bernardino City USD” on the iTunes or Google Play stores.
