San Fernando students had fun to “drop, cover and hold on” for Great California ShakeOut
Usa today news
The Great California ShakeOut is an annual statewide earthquake preparedness drill—held on the third Thursday in October—where people practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” for one minute at the same time as millions of others across California.
At San Fernando Middle School, students were evacuated from their classrooms and went to the “safety” of their playing field, while teacher Regina Nassif conducted a search of the campus buildings and teacher David Malley made sure students vacated their classrooms.
San Fernando Middle School teacher Regina Nassif conducts a search of campus buildings during the Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
San Fernando Middle School teacher David Malley clears a classroom while conducting a search of campus buildings during the Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Javier Palomo and Eric Perez look at a laptop while evacuating to the playing field at San Fernando Middle School during the Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025. The Great California ShakeOut is an annual statewide earthquake preparedness drill.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Principal Tim Smither looks on as students, faculty and staff participate in the annual Great California ShakeOut at San Fernando Middle School in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
San Fernando Middle School staff gather for instruction while the campus participates in the annual Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
San Fernando Middle School teacher Lamberto Castillo lays out a tarp for his students to sit on while they participate in the Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025. The Great California ShakeOut is an annual statewide earthquake preparedness drill.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
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San Fernando Middle School teacher Regina Nassif conducts a search of campus buildings during the Great California ShakeOut in San Fernando on Friday, Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Communities across Los Angeles County took part in the drill, along with most elementary and high school districts and colleges.
This was the 17th annual Great California ShakeOut drill, simulating a response to a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake on the southern San Andreas fault — an effort to teach residents what to do when a large temblor strikes and how to prepare for disaster.
“It’s not a matter of if an earthquake of this size will happen —but when,” according to the ShakeOut website. “And it is possible that it will happen in our lifetime.”
According to the website, more than 10.4 million Californians registered to participate in Thursday’s drill, including 3.4 million in Los Angeles County and nearly 850,000 in Orange County.
