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8 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2026 | The Great California ShakeOut Drill By Janis Rice, EPAP PIO As an EPAP (Emergency Preparedness Action Plan) Team Executive, I am frequently asked why we have the ShakeOut Drill? e answer is "to be prepared." But what are we preparing for and why? On a geologic fault map, you would see that Banning, which includes Sun Lakes Country Club, is positioned near the active boundary between the North American and Pacic tectonic plates which means earthquakes are inevitable. Knowing this information should make all of us want to have a plan and be prepared. But because earthquakes are not like the weather, they can't be predicted. Since they don't happen frequently, we forget that a major earthquake is a real possibility. is is why the Sun Lakes EPAP Team holds trainings and drills to keep our residents informed and ready. Each year, we take part in the Great California ShakeOut. But what is the ShakeOut and why do we participate in it? As mentioned, California sits on two active tectonic plates. e primary boundary and major fault system between the Pacic Plate and the North American Plate is the San Andreas Fault, which branches into a complex network of active faults across California and neighboring regions. Knowing the potential for a large earthquake, the Earthquake Country Alliance, scientists and emergency managers, felt it was necessary to educate and inform the public about earthquake preparedness. e drill scenario was developed by the USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project led by Dr Lucy Jones. On Nov. 13, 2008, the rst ShakeOut drill was established with more than 5.4 million participants. e drill is now held annually on the third ursday in October, and to date more than tens of millions of participants worldwide have taken part in the drill … not just in California. Why is this drill so important? First and foremost, it is to remind us of where we live and the real probability of a major earthquake. It is also to remind us of the three most important instructions if an earthquake starts — "STOP! DROP! and HOLD ON!" Your Sun Lakes EPAP team's focus and goal is to inform, train, and ensure that our residents have the knowledge and skills to be prepared and self-sucient. Sun Lakes EPAP ShakeOut drill will be held on urs., Oct. 15 at 10:15 am. Participation in the drill is very important and simple. Practice your STOP! DROP! AND HOLD ON!, make sure you have an emergency plan, your "go bag" is complete, your medications are up to date, your File of Life is updated/revised and placed on your refrigerator, and last but not least, put the yellow card in a front facing window during the drill. BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

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