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Campus emergency sirens to sound on Thursday

State emergency preparedness officials ask Californians to drop, cover and hold during the annual earthquake preparedness drill at 10:20 a.m. Thursday, Oct 20. Campus emergency sirens will sound.

Drop, cover, hold imageUC Berkeley will sound its emergency sirens and public address system at 10:20 a.m., Thursday (Oct. 20) to remind everyone to DROP, COVER and HOLD, part of a statewide effort to raise awareness regarding earthquake emergency preparedness.

The annual event, known as the Great California ShakeOut, is sponsored by numerous agencies including the California Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, and the California Department of Education. 

Californians are being asked to practice the “drop, cover, hold” technique during the exercise:  Drop to the ground, take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on until the shaking stops. Event organizers have also provided more detailed tips on what to do before, during, and immediately after an earthquake. Information regarding UC Berkeley’s emergency warning and information tools is also available online.