Oregon sits atop the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and a major earthquake on this 620-mile fault would impact all University of Oregon campuses.
The Great Oregon ShakeOut, a statewide earthquake drill Oct. 15, is a chance to practice how to be protected during an earthquake and prepare for what to do after. Here’s what to know:
Get alerts
Prepare for the ShakeOut by signing up for university and regional alerts.
A UO Alert will be sent at 10:15 a.m. Oct. 15, encouraging everyone to drop, cover and hold on to sturdy shelter such as a desk or table for 60 seconds. To sign up for UO Alerts texts and receive university emergency information, add your phone number in DuckWeb or text the UO code for your campus (UOEUG, UOPDX or UOOIMB) to 333111.
Check phone settings to enable wireless emergency alerts. This ensures you receive local emergency alerts and also earthquake early warning alerts from ShakeAlert, managed by the US Geological Survey and supported by the UO and other partners.
Download the ShakeAlert-powered MyShake app for earthquake early warning alerts in Oregon, Washington and California.
Protect yourself during an earthquake
Drop, cover and hold on to something sturdy such as a table or desk as soon as you receive an earthquake early warning alert or feel the earth shaking:
- Drop where you are, onto hands and knees. This protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if it is nearby.
- Cover your head and neck with both arms and hands. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter — standing in a doorway isn’t safe. If no shelter is nearby, crawl to an interior wall that is away from windows, hanging objects and tall furniture.
- Hold on to shelter until shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if it shifts.
For visuals and scenarios, visit the Great Oregon ShakeOut website.
Share photos of you, your class or your group participating — share on Instagram using #shakeout and #earthQUACK or email photos to ohaz@uoregon.edu.
Make a plan
Preparing for an earthquake helps prepare you for other emergencies, including power outages during a winter storm.
University employees and students can use the code “goducks” to save 15% on ReadyForAnything Emergency kits from Redfora.
Build preparedness with the Be 2 Weeks Ready toolkit offered by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
UO Emergency Management offers emergency preparedness trainings and resources for:
- Making a personal plan, including preparation for pets.
- What to include in an emergency supply kit.
- Developing a department or classroom plan.
Learn more about the science of seismic events from the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center and the Oregon Hazards Lab.
—Matt Cooper, University Communications