Drills

Earthquake drills teach students to drop, cover, and hold on when they feel the earth shaking. When the shaking stops, everyone evacuates.

Why we do it.

Students and staff need muscle memory so that when they experience shaking, they know what to do. Practicing also helps normalize the concept of earthquakes. Since we don't get frequent earthquakes here in the Pacific Northwest, we need this regular reminder that we're expecting them.

Even though all schools do drills, they may not be doing it in the most effective way possible.

Teachers should participate.

During these drills, teachers often stand at the front of the room or walk around. It's good for them to check to make sure students are doing it properly, but they should also drop/cover/hold during the drill. This will help them improve their own muscle memory. It also helps model the correct behavior for students. When adults don't participate in drills, they send a message that the drill isn't important for everyone.

Teachers should explain why.

After earthquake drills, teachers often return to business as normal. We'd like to see teachers talking to students (in an age-appropriate manner) about the drill before going on with their day. For example:

• Why do we drop/cover/hold during an earthquake? (To protect us from things that fall.)
• What if there's nothing to get under? (They should fold up on their knees with at least their head and necks covered. To cover their heads, they could use their hands, a notebook, or any other protective object.)
• Why do we evacuate when the shaking stops? (So we aren't in a weakened building when aftershocks arrive.)
• What if you're outdoors when the shaking starts? (Drop to the ground and cover if possible. Try to move away from buildings, trees, and overhead power lines.)
• Why should we try not to be right next to a building during an earthquake? (Because buildings shed their exteriors, making it very unsafe to be near them.)
• How can we make our classrooms safer? (Non-Structural Hazard Mitigation: Move objects away from exits, secure furniture to the walls, put heavy items on lower shelves, etc.)

Some kids can't handle the scary stuff and they get anxious. It may be better for them to just follow directions and not worry about why. Check out these great resources for talking to kids about earthquakes.

Drills should become more challenging.

The first drill should easy so that new teachers and students can get used to it. Start with two minutes of drop/cover/hold, followed by an evacuation of the building. The teachers should know about it in advance. Choose a time when everyone should be in a classroom. As you progress through the year, the drills can become less predictable. Kids might be in the garden, at lunch (mayhem!), or at recess.

Encourage your administration to practice a full drill - one in which the building is evacuated after the drop/cover/hold and the teachers all practice bringing their emergency buckets out with them. Make sure proper emergency exits are used. For instance, at Sunnyside the second-story fire escapes are not an acceptable means of egress after an earthquake. The students and teachers need to practice exiting differently based on the type of drill.

It's also worth involving outside groups and volunteers in school drills. Many after-school programs have no training in drills and are not involved in school preparedness planning.

• Remember to approach staff with sensitivity. No one likes to be told they are doing something wrong. Administrators can (and should) contact the PPS Emergency Manager for guidance on running an effective drill.
• You can offer to assist with the drills and recruit volunteers to help.
• Consider inviting your Neighborhood Emergency Team or Community Emergency Response Team to observe and assist. If they haven’t already, they’ll need to complete PPS’s online background check.
• Offer to meet with faculty/staff at the beginning of each year (such as at a staff meeting) to briefly review what a good drill would look like before they actually do one. Administrators can and should contact the PPS Emergency Manager for guidance on staff training and drill procedures.