LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — At 10:31 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, Los Alamitos High School joined the thousands of other schools nationwide taking part in the Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill to practice safety precautions during earthquakes.
As one of the highest at-risk states, California commonly experiences earthquakes because the state lies directly on multiple faults, including the San Andreas Fault, which lies directly under Los Angeles. The fault lies on top of two transform plate boundaries that slowly move against each other, causing friction and sudden movements on the base floor.
While California has experienced minor earthquakes throughout the recent months that passed quickly and quietly, the possibility of disastrous earthquakes and their effects remains high due to the state’s geographical position. The Great California ShakeOut has had incredible success since its beginning in 2008. As of 2024, 10.4 million participants were registered from different countries worldwide in the 2025 earthquake drill, with four thousand from the Southern California area.
“The ShakeOut has also been organized to encourage you, your community, your school or your organization to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries,” says The Great California ShakeOut website.
“Stop, Drop and Cover” has been a common phrase instructing people on quick and intuitive protection. In the wake of an emergency earthquake, students are instructed to stop whatever they are doing, drop onto their hands and knees, find cover underneath a stable surface and hold their arms over their head to protect their necks until the shaking stops.
On a modified schedule at 10:17 a.m., Mr. Bowen interrupted all third period classes and instructed them to exit their classrooms and wait for further instruction on the main field. Teachers led their students and quickly wrote down the names of the students present to determine if they had any missing students.
Then with the remainder of time until 11:14 a.m., teachers and students were to wait outside and entertain themselves; many found themselves lounging on the grass with their friends or on their devices.
This practice was meant to simulate what would happen during a real earthquake and practice the precautions necessary to protect the students.
When reviewed by students, some found the drill important and necessary due to California’s geographical location. In contrast, others found that the drill was a waste of time and provided them with nothing useful. LAHS senior Ava Friedman expressed her lack of interest in the time allotted for safety because it taught her nothing.
“I don’t think this drill did anything helpful or useful for me because we just sat out there for 30 minutes (and) did nothing. I’d rather just watch a video about (earthquake safety) than do this,” Friedman said.
However, some students were grateful that earthquake safety is heavily promoted within California schools.
“I think it is important to have these drills because earthquakes can be very serious, and it’s always good to be prepared,” said LAHS junior Bella Jackson.
If you are a resident of California or another at-risk state, it is always important to remain mindful and aware of how to protect yourself and others in the wake of an earthquake. To learn more, the Red Cross provides an in-depth guide on the necessary routine to follow when facing a natural disaster.
