On Thursday, October 19th at 10:19 AM, Victor Valley Transit will join over 6 million other Californians in the 2023 Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill. The Great California ShakeOut happens every year to remind us that the best way to stay safe in an earthquake zone is by being prepared.
Your past experience in earthquakes may give you a false sense of safety; perhaps you did nothing, ran outside, or stood in a doorway, and you survived with no injuries. Or perhaps you got under your desk, and others thought you overreacted.
Yet you may never have experienced the kind of strong shaking that is possible in much larger earthquakes: sudden and intense back and forth motions of several feet per second will cause the floor or the ground to jerk sideways out from under you, and every unsecured object around you could topple, fall, or become airborne, potentially causing serious injury.
Taking the proper actions, such as “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” can save lives and reduce the risk of injury. Everyone, everywhere, should learn and practice what to do during an earthquake, whether at home, work, school, or traveling.
In MOST situations, you will reduce your chance of injury if you:
 | DROP where you are onto your hands and knees.This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby. |
 | COVER your head and neck with one arm and handIf a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelterIf no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs |
 | HOLD ON until shaking stops. Under shelter: hold on to your shelter with one hand; be ready to move with it if it shifts. No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands. |
Victor Valley Transit is committed to the safety of all our riders, operators, and staff. Sign up today and get more information at www.shakeout.org.