Thousands of Washington residents will practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the state’s largest earthquake drill ever: The Great Washington ShakeOut, at 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19. City staff and the Mercer Island School District will also be participating.

Major earthquakes can happen anywhere people work, live, or travel in Washington, and all need to be prepared.

“The annual ShakeOut drill is our chance to practice how to protect ourselves when an earthquake strikes, with a goal of preventing a major earthquake from becoming a catastrophe for you, your family and your community. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake, so frequent practice results in more successful outcomes,” according to the city.

Learn more about the statewide program at www.shakeout.org/washington.

To learn more about emergency preparedness on Mercer Island, visit www.mercergov.org and sign up for emergency alert messages.