The Great Central U.S. Shake Out drill, including Drop! Cover! Hold on!


Missouri's New Madrid Seismic Zone experiences about 200 small earthquakes a year. Unlike some other disasters, earthquakes provide no advance warning. Preparing and planning is essential for earthquake safety. 

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is a multi-state earthquake drill spanning much of the central United States. This popular event is held every year on the third Thursday of October, at 10:15 a.m. local time. Millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school or home!

While we encourage you to participate with everyone, you can hold your #ShakeOut drill when and where you want. Choose another date or several dates, and include people in multiple locations, perhaps through video conferencing. It is actually a good idea to practice earthquake safety in different situations each year. 

More Information

The State Emergency Management Agency works with many government and voluntary agencies, businesses and schools to ensure a coordinated, effective response to the challenges a major earthquake would pose. For more information, about earthquake hazard information, please visit the following websites: