Drop, Cover, and Hold On!

Photo Courtesy of WVUSD
Diamond Bar High drama students took part in today’s Great Shakeout earthquake drill, playing victims in triage units around the campus.

Diamond Bar – On Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m., the alarm sounded at Diamond Bar High School.

It was time for the annual Great California Shakeout earthquake drill and students and staff prepared to take action.

On cue, they immediately dropped and took cover under their desks and tables, and held on to something sturdy for one-minute.

Then the classes went to three designated areas around the campus to take roll call.

The school also practiced their emergency response plans with search and rescue and medical evaluation drills.

Beginning drama students were on hand in staged triage areas to help act out roles as earthquake victims. They took their parts seriously, researching and practicing prior to the earthquake drill.

Photo: Courtesy of WVUSD
Coleen Gee’s art history class students dropped under their desks and took cover during the minute-long drill on October 15.

“It’s always necessary to have these types of drills because it helps the site prepare for disasters – especially here in earthquake-prone California,” said Assistant Principal John Terry. “So the more we can practice, the safer and more prepared we’ll be.”

A special thanks to Chase Paulson, Terry Guest, Lorraine Gomes, Doug Medford, Beatrice Casagran, USB and Drama students, and all the staff and volunteers who made the school-wide event a success.

“Practicing these drills supports and reinforces the importance of emergency care in a disaster until medical assistance is available,” said school nurse Terry Guest, who led one of the triage units.

The drill began as the Great California ShakeOut in 2008, but now the annual earthquake drill has gone global.

More than 22 million people worldwide, including 10.5 million Californians signed up to simultaneously practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” this year, the safety protocol recommended by experts during an earthquake.

All 15 Walnut Valley Unified School District campuses and the District Office took part in the Great Shakeout.

Photo Courtesy of WVUSD
Freshman Zoe Marquez gets in character with an arm injury. School nurse Terri Guest, teachers Stephanie Green, and Beatrice Casagran access the situation.