YUHSD schools participate in 2022 Great Arizona ShakeOut
Yuma Union High School District schools once again took part in the “Great Arizona ShakeOut,” the international, two-minute earthquake safety drill, on Thursday, Oct. 20, promptly at 10:20 a.m.
The ShakeOut is an annual opportunity to practice how to remain safe during high-magnitude earthquakes: "Drop, Cover and Hold On," according to the event’s official website (shakeout.org). It has also been organized to encourage individuals, their communities, schools, and organizations to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies, and to secure space in order to prevent damage and injuries.
“In Arizona, especially here in Yuma, we live along a fault line. So, earthquakes are a realistic possibility of something that our kids can experience at home or at school,” Cibola High School Assistant Principal Brett Pavey said. “The ShakeOut walks the students through what to do in case of an earthquake, and the steps to take immediately following it.
More than 60,000 Arizonans participate each year in the event, including more than 30,000 participants from K-12 schools in the state. All six YUHSD schools participated.
“I feel that having this earthquake drill was beneficial,” a Cibola student said, following the drill. “I didn’t really think about where I would go if there was an earthquake. After having this drill, I feel a lot better about where I would go in a situation like this.”
YUHSD schools used the ShakeOut as an opportunity to practice widespread emergency preparedness as well. Some schools will discuss the importance of being prepared in class following the event, while others will conduct other emergency drills throughout the day.
It is the 11th year Arizona has participated in the event. Nearly 45 million people annually take part in the ShakeOut across the globe.
According to the Arizona Geological Survey, Arizonans have experienced more than 3,500 earthquakes since 1852, including a magnitude 5.3 near Duncan, Arizona in 2014. The Arizona Seismic Belt, which runs from the north-northwestern to the southeastern part of the state, has incurred multiple earthquakes above magnitude 3.0 with a magnitude 5.0 or higher occurring nearly every 10 years or so.