Campus community encouraged to learn about earthquake preparedness today

Purdue’s West Lafayette campus community is encouraged to review appropriate actions to take in case of an earthquake.

Today (Oct. 19) is the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut drill, an opportunity for people in schools, at work or with organizations to educate themselves and practice what to do during an earthquake.

“The campus community may not be aware that the Midwest has a number of active earthquake zones, and it’s important for members of the community to be aware of how they should respond if we experience an earthquake,” said Jefferson Howells, director of Purdue’s Emergency Preparedness and Planning.

Howells says procedures call for everyone to get on the ground, take cover under a table or desk, and stay put for at least one minute. Howells encourages faculty, staff and students to simulate a response and be aware of what could happen in their typical surroundings, including items that may fall, during an actual earthquake.

More information about emergency preparedness on campus, the PurdueALERT emergency warning notification system and building emergency plans is available on the Emergency Preparedness and Planning website.

Emergency Preparedness and Planning is part of the Administrative Operations organization. The organization supports the university by providing safe, reliable and transformative services. Making sure the campus community knows how to respond during an actual earthquake is just one of the ways the organization helps power Purdue.