Tennessee was among 14 central and southern U.S. states on Thursday, Oct., 15, 2020, that coordinated the annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut drill to raise awareness about the importance of catastrophic earthquake preparedness.

See recent earthquakes here.

“Major earthquakes happen somewhere in the world every year, and major earthquakes have shaken and reshaped Tennessee’s geography,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said. ”Most major cities and population centers across the world have some risk of earthquakes, but awareness of our hazards and risks is the first step for Tennesseans to make informed decisions about how to begin preparing themselves today. In the busyness of day-to-day life, it can be tough to carve out time to prepare, but families and communities can make themselves ready and more resilient by taking small steps beginning today.”

During the ShakeOut drill, participants practiced the Drop, Cover, and Hold On technique, which is the proper self-protection measure in an earthquake.

The technique’s actions are:

◘ DROP to the ground;
◘ Take COVER under a sturdy desk or table, or cover your head and neck with your arms;
◘ HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

More than 158,000 Tennessee took part in the ShakeOut this past week.

Learn more: www.shakeout.org/centralus.