Next week, the Great California Shakeout is scheduled to take place, giving California residents another opportunity to prepare for the next earthquake.

 The Great California Shakeout, an annual earthquake drill, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m.

 This drill is a good time for all residents, businesses, schools, first responders and more to practice how to react and prepare for an earthquake.

 In recent months, Southern California has seen an increase in seismic activity, with multiple 4.0 and greater earthquakes rattling the area — some of which have been felt throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.

 What To Do When An Earthquake Strikes

 Experts remind residents when an earthquake strikes to drop, cover and hold.

“Your past experience in earthquakes may give you a false sense of safety; perhaps you did nothing, ran outside or stood in a doorway, and you survived with no injuries. Or perhaps you got under your desk, and others thought you overreacted. Yet you may never have experienced the kind of strong shaking that is possible in much larger earthquakes,” officials with Earthquake Alliance said. “Sudden and intense back-and-forth motions of several feet per second will cause the floor or the ground to jerk sideways out from under you, and every unsecured object around you could topple, fall, or become airborne, potentially causing serious injury. This is why you must learn the expert guidance for how to immediately protect yourself after the first jolt, or get an alert that shaking is on its way.”

What Are Other Ways To Prepare For An Earthquake?

“After a major disaster, families should be prepared with enough food, water and emergency supplies to last up to two weeks until help can arrive,” Marilyn Jimenez, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross, said in a previous KHTS article. “Build an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate. Include items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit and medications.”

It is also important for residents to avoid letting their cars get below half a tank of gas.

Another way to be prepared is to keep extra cash on hand.

Homeowners are encouraged to know where their gas and water shutoff valves are located and know how to turn them off when a quake hits.

Residents in California are encouraged to download the MyShake app to receive earthquake alert messages on their cell phone.

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