This year's Great ShakeOut Day is October 17th at 10:17 a.m., when millions worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home! The ShakeOut is our opportunity to practice how to protect ourselves during earthquakes. Your past experience in earthquakes may give you a false sense of safety; you didn't do anything, or you ran outside, yet you survived with no injuries. Or perhaps you got under your desk, and others thought you overreacted. However, you likely have never experienced the kind of strong earthquake shaking that is possible in much larger earthquakes: sudden and intense back-and-forth motions of several feet per second will cause the floor or the ground to jerk sideways out from under you and every unsecured object around you could topple, fall, or become airborne, potentially causing serious injury. This is why you must learn to immediately protect yourself after the first jolt. Don't wait to see if the earthquake shaking will be strong! In most situations, if you feel shaking or get an earthquake alert, immediately DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects. COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand. HOLD ON until the shaking stops.