Long Beach City College students and faculty members were among the 10.4 million statewide participants in the Great ShakeOut, with the drill taking place at the Liberal Arts Campus on Thursday.
All buildings on campus were evacuated for the drill, and participants waited outside for 15 minutes before they were cleared to return indoors.
The Great ShakeOut is a global event that aims to promote crucial knowledge and preparedness in the event of an emergency situation.
“This event is not just an earthquake drill, it’s about safety in general,” David Jefferson, LBCC’s risk management and campus safety director, said.
Jefferson stressed the importance of using drills to help students and staff retain knowledge that could be potentially life saving.
“One of the things I’ve been informed of is when you participate in drills and trainings, you will refer back to the training that prepares you for the moment,” Jefferson said.
The Great ShakeOut does not take place exclusively at school campuses, as people worldwide can also participate from the comfort of their own homes.
Jefferson says it is important to recognize that emergency preparedness extends far beyond school settings.
“An earthquake may happen when you’re at home or at work. Emergency services may be cut off, and you may have to rely on family or the local community,” Jefferson said.
LBCC students and staff also noted the significance of participating in the drill.
“Living in California, I think it’s good to know what our safety procedures are, because we can never really tell when something will happen,” Kam Francisco, a member of LBCC’s High School Outreach team, said.
Francisco said he will use the knowledge gained from the event to form a comprehensive plan of action for a future emergency.
“Emergencies and natural disasters don’t happen very often. We get complacent and we don’t always know what to do, so having that awareness is really important,” Fransisco said.
Another LBCC student, Evelyn Esponda, said she has not participated in the Great ShakeOut since high school, but was glad to refresh her memory on earthquake safety.
“I will look for a place to protect myself, my kids, my entire family, and make sure everyone knows how to protect themselves,” said Esponda based on what she learned from the drill.
Ultimately, Jefferson hopes that students and staff will recall the information they learned from the drill if a real emergency takes place.
“When there’s a disaster, there’s no 100 percent guarantee in preparing, but you can react in the best way that you can,” Jefferson said.
