Campus community members encouraged to participate in earthquake simulation drill on Oct. 16
An international earthquake simulation drill is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16. Campus community members for both the West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations are encouraged to participate in this voluntary activity.
The drill is part of 2025 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut and will take place at 10:16 a.m. It is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to practice what to do in the event of an actual earthquake.
“While damaging earthquakes are rare in Indiana, smaller earthquakes occur one to two times per year. It is important for our campus community members to know how to respond in the moment, “said Jefferson Howells, director of Emergency Preparedness. “This is a good opportunity to point out earthquake procedures, including the three major actions—DROP, COVER and HOLD.”
Howells says during an earthquake, DROP to the floor under a desk or table or in a doorway, COVER your head and face with your arms and HOLD on. Stay away from windows, shelves and heavy equipment. If outdoors, move quickly away from buildings, utility poles, overhead wires, parking garages and other structures. More information is available in the Emergency Procedures Guide.
A PurdueALERT will not be issued during the drill.
Those unable to participate in the drill are encouraged to hold discussions about earthquake procedures to help spread awareness.
Emergency Preparedness is part of Administrative Operations. The organization supports the university by providing safe, reliable and transformative services. Ensuring the campus community members know how to respond in the event of an actual earthquake is just one of the ways the organization helps power Purdue. To learn more about the daily operations of the organization, follow us on Instagram at @purdueoperations.