Join California's Biggest Earthquake Drill, and Watch Out for Zombies

If you're out and about in the Napa Valley Thursday morning a little after 10:15 and see people around you diving for cover, consider doing the same: You'll be joining millions of other Californians in the Great California ShakeOut.

An annual event that aims to raise awareness about how to prepare for a major earthquake, the ShakeOut will begin at 10:18 a.m., when participants across the state will practice what to do when an earthquake hits.

More than 9 million people have registered to join the exercise so far including 15,490 in Napa County. Find out who's participating here.

"We hope people will take photos of their 'drop, cover and hold' action," said Cara Mae McGarry, a Napa County Public Health educator. (If you do take photos, why not share them here? Just click the upload button.)

The ShakeOut is intended to simulate the impact of a magnitude-7.8 earthquake originating from the southernmost area of the San Andreas Fault. Under this scenario, a tectonic shift would produce waves of movement for hundreds of miles over four minutes.

In Napa County, the ShakeOut also serves another purpose: "Napa County Public Health has incorporated the Oct 18 Great ShakeOut earthquake drill as part of the “Zombie Flu Clinic” exercise and preparedness campaign," writes McGarry in her Napa Valley Patch blog.  

"Stay tuned for the next installment of the Zombie Blog on Oct 18, which will begin the FICTIONAL saga of the “2012 Zombie Pandemic” leading up to the REAL Zombie Flu Vaccine Clinic and Halloween Health Fair on Oct 31 from 1-4PM at Napa County Health and Human Services, 2344 Old Sonoma Road (Napa)," McGarry writes.

Click here to register for this year's ShakeOut. Promote the exercise and earthquake preparedness using these resources. 

Here are other ways to participate in the ShakeOut. Search events by county or area here.

Think you know what do when an earthquake strikes? Test your knowledge with this quiz. And see if you'd "Beat the Quake" here.

—City News Service contributed to this report.

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