Canyons Schools will put earthquake preparedness to the test as part of the Great Utah ShakeOut statewide earthquake drill.
The earthquake safety drill, the largest in Utah history, will be Tuesday, April 17 at 10:15 a.m. At that exact time, those participating will “drop, cover and hold on” as if an earthquake of great magnitude had hit the Wasatch Front.
The mock disaster will test the preparedness of businesses, hospitals, city governments, schools and families in case of an earthquake.
The Great Utah Shakeout is sponsored by FEMA Region VIII, the Utah Division of Emergency Management and the Southern California Earthquake Center.
The first state to organize and execute a Great ShakeOut was California. In 2008, the Great Southern California ShakeOut was held to gauge the public’s earthquake preparedness. Mock earthquake drills have since been held in California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Guam and British Columbia. The first nationwide ShakeOut is schedule for Sept. 26, 2012 in New Zealand.