10.4 Million People Participated in the 2025 Great California ShakeOut on October 16

Join Us in the World's Largest Earthquake Drill, October 16, 2026. Register: ShakeOut.org

Registration is open at www.ShakeOut.org for drills through the end of 2025

Graphic showing earthquake safety guidance with drawings that show a figure drop to the ground, cover their head and neck or get until a table, and then hold on to the table; other images for people who use canes show to keep the cane with you. For people

Earthquake safety guidance including for people with disabilities.

Picture showing a man and woman beneath a table, kneeling and bending over while covering their head with one hand and holding on to a table leg with the other.

Adults practicing "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" beneath a table

People in schools, workplaces, and households practiced Drop, Cover, and Hold On, and other earthquake safety actions.

LOS ANGELES, CA, CA, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The 2025 International ShakeOut Day was held on Thursday, October 16. In California, when more than 10.4 million people practiced "Drop, Cover and Hold On" and other self-protective actions, as part of more than 19.3 million participants across the United States and 58 million people registered worldwide at www.ShakeOut.org. Drills can be held on other days too, so drills in coming months can still be registered this year.

On October 16 reporters in California attended media events featuring government officials and scientists, drill activities, and press conferences, at the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Center, Oakland City Hall, San Diego Waterfront, and elsewhere across the state. Some included mobile earthquake simulators to add a touch of realism to live interviews on the morning news.

"The first Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill in 2008 was planned as a one-time event in Southern California," said Mark Benthien, Executive Director of the Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) and Global Coordinator of ShakeOut, based at the Statewide California Earthquake Center (www.SCEC.org) at the University of Southern California. "ShakeOut participation continues to amaze us – how it has expanded far and wide, and also how people are excited to get prepared!"

SCEC coordinates ShakeOut nationally with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey. In California, additional support for ShakeOut recruitment and other activities is provided by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to SCEC to administer the Earthquake Country Alliance.

"We at Cal OES encourage all Californians to participate in the Great California ShakeOut," said Ian Bastek, Deputy Director of Response. "We don't know when the next big earthquake will occur, so we all need to be prepared now." This includes downloading the MyShake app and enabling alerts on smartphones, having a family plan for emergencies, and sharing preparedness information with others in our communities.

ShakeOut is designed to be an annual reminder about how people can protect themselves during shaking (Drop, Cover, and Hold On), whether it may occur where we live, work, or travel (www.EarthquakeCountry.org/step5). For those who use a mobility device, learn how to "Lock, Cover, and Hold On" at www.EarthquakeCountry.org/accessibility. Any shaking felt along the coast could mean a tsunami is imminent, so be sure to know your zone, and how to plan an evacuation route at www.TsunamiZone.org/california.

“As we practice the safety steps to take during an earthquake, it is also important to think about other steps we can take before an earthquake to help protect our family,” said Janiele Maffei, Chief Mitigation Officer of the California Earthquake Authority. “Consider making your older home less vulnerable to damage with a seismic retrofit. Strengthening your pre-1980 home against earthquake damage can make a big difference. The best part is that grants are now available to help some homeowners pay for the retrofit. Check out www.EarthquakeBraceBolt.com to find out more. EBB registration is open until midnight, October 17. People can also sign up to notified to be notified when registration will be open again.

Many ShakeOut participants also secure items that could fall or fly, assemble disaster kits, and other aspects of the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety (www.EarthquakeCountry.org/sevensteps) created by ECA and its many partners. “We have been a strong supporter of the Great California ShakeOut since 2008, along with many other activities of the Earthquake Country Alliance,” said Trevyn Reese, Vice President of Ready America, the disaster supply professionals. Each year we bring our “Big Shaker” earthquake simulators to major media events on ShakeOut day in Southern California and the Bay Area, in which reporters interview experts about earthquake safety and demonstrate how to secure items like furniture, TVs, and collectibles so they won’t fall and cause injury. We also help to educate the public on the importance of preparing an emergency kit and other supplies in advance of an event. We encourage everyone to register their drill and to secure their space and maintain supplies to be self-sufficient for a minimum of three days to a week.”

RESOURCES:

www.ShakeOut.org/california/news – guidance for promoting and reporting on ShakeOut, lists of ShakeOut media venues, recent releases, and contacts.

www.ShakeOut.org/messaging – B-Roll, still graphics, animated GIFs and more resources for reporting on earthquake preparedness and ShakeOut.

Mark Benthien
Statewide California Earthquake Center (USC)
+1 213-740-0323
info@shakeout.org
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ShakeOut Drill Broadcast in English - Sound Effects

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