One million plus Virginians now signed up for ShakeOut earthquake drill Oct. 17

With a week to go until the Great SouthEast ShakeOut set for Thursday, Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m., Virginia has become the second state ever to pass the one million mark in people registered to participate in the multistate earthquake drill, according to a news release.  California, where the original ShakeOut premiered in 2008, leads all states in registrations.

“Our own major earthquake in August 2011 reminded us that Virginia is vulnerable,” Michael Cline, state coordinator of emergency management was quoted as saying.

There is still time to sign up to learn what to do when an earthquake hits, which is to ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On.’”

The drill is open to all.  Individuals, families, businesses, government agencies, organizations, and schools and colleges can sign up at http://www.shakeout.org/southeast  Once. registered, participants will receive information on how to plan their drill.

The ShakeOut, a rolling multistate drill that will happen 10/17 at 10:17 a.m. regardless of time zone, provides an opportunity to practice the safe response to an earthquake:

• Drop to the ground, before the shaking drops you
• Take Cover under a sturdy table or desk if possible, protecting your head and neck
• Hold On until the shaking stops

Learn more about the ShakeOut at http://www.vaemergency.gov .

As of Oct. 9, more than 1,051,000 Virginians have signed up to practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”  About 600,000 have signed up so far from the southeastern states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.