PCC students, staff and faculty at the Community Education Center joined more than 10 million people statewide in the Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill.
At 10:15 a.m., the campus alarms rang and students quickly responded by dropping to the floor, squatting under their desks and holding on. After a few moments, professors led students out of the building where campus police directed everyone to parking lot A.
For anyone who has grown up in the California school system, earthquake drills have been a way to get out of class for a few moments and chat with friends. That appears to be true even to this day, with most students carrying on conversations with their classmates and taking their time exiting the building.
However aside from the banter, PCC Police officer Michael Despain said that as a whole, “it went flawless.”
ESL professor Greg Marlowe agreed.
“It was ok. It was fun,” Marlowe said. “We survived it and there were no problems.”
California residents have always been aware that earthquakes can be volatile and occur when least expected. And cosmetology student Lucy Shahinyn feels that earthquake drills are still a necessity.
“It’s an experience and you have to be ready because lots of earthquakes happen here,” said Shahinyn.
Last year, PCC participated in the drill on the main campus but that was not the case this year. According to Despain, the drill was relocated because the school had “limited resources.”
Despain hopes that next year the campus police will have more resources to bring the drill back to the main campus.
The Great California Shakeout educates citizens on how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” during an earthquake. This annual drill allows participants an opportunity to practice how to protect themselves should an earthquake take place.
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