We all know “stop, drop and roll” and “duck and cover,” but what’s the protocol for an earthquake.
For those taking part in a regional drill Thursday, they’ll know it’s “drop, cover and hold on.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging people to get involved in the Great SouthEast ShakeOut Thursday. The regional earthquake drill asks participants to act as if an earthquake has hit their area.
In Morgantown, the West Virginia University Police Department has asked community members to take part in the ShakeOut.
“It’s something in our area we don’t think about or experience a lot of,” said Danny Camden, with Emergency Planning and Response at WVU PD.
However, just more than a year ago a 5.8-magniture quake centered in Mineral, Va. was felt in Morgantown and across the Mountain State. Camden said an earthquake could hit again at any time, even if it is highly unlikely.
“We are as prone to have something like that to happen here, and the public should know what to do and how to protect themselves,” he said.
At 10:18 a.m. Thursday, participants are asked to drop, cover and hold on for 90 seconds. Several states in the southeast are taking part in the event.
Camden said after the earthquake in 2011 it was clear that most Mountain State residents did not know how to react. He said that’s why it’s vital to be prepared.