ShakeOut Earthquake Drill Takes on New Urgency After Eaton Fire

City employees, students and residents across Pasadena took part in the 17th annual Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill Thursday, with Mayor Victor M. Gordo and City Manager Miguel Márquez joining thousands of others dropping under desks at 10:16 a.m. to practice lifesaving earthquake response techniques.

The drill brought together City Hall staff, Pasadena Unified School District students, PCC faculty and students, California Institute of Technology and community organizations to simulate response to a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on the southern San Andreas fault.

Gordo personally participated in the exercise, taking cover under his desk as city employees activated floor warden systems and conducted evacuations.

City workers walked the halls, checked on offices and blew whistles to remind colleagues to stop, drop and cover.

Staff members received earthquake alerts on their phones during the drill and tested emergency systems to ensure they could keep both employees and the public safe.

“The Eaton Fire last year helped reignite interest in emergency readiness,” said Nallely Procopio, emergency coordinator for the city of Pasadena. “When we teach you about preparing for a wildfire, we’re also teaching you about an earthquake — anything that comes our way.”

The January Eaton Fire has renewed public focus on disaster preparedness, officials said.

Pasadena Unified School District conducted the drill at all schools, with students and staff practicing “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” during the 30-second simulated earthquake. The district simultaneously tested emergency communications systems, sending test emails and text messages to contacts listed in students’ Aeries Parent Portal profiles.

Caltech participated at 10:16 a.m. through a campus-wide alert instructing everyone to drop, cover and hold on. The university followed the drill with a Personal Preparedness Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hameetman Center’s Multipurpose Room, featuring go-bag supplies and informational resources from local vendors. The event offered complimentary cold brew and emergency preparedness prize drawings and was coordinated by Caltech’s Crisis Management Council.

“It’s been a long while since we’ve had one in the city of Pasadena. But that’s exactly why we plan — preparedness is about muscle memory,” Procopio said.

More than 10.4 million Californians registered to participate in Thursday’s drill, including 3.4 million in Los Angeles County and nearly 850,000 in Orange County, according to the ShakeOut website. That represents a slight decrease from about 10.6 million who registered statewide in 2024.

Globally, more than 58 million participants registered for the 2025 Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills.

“Earthquakes can occur at any time wherever we work, live or travel. While we cannot predict earthquakes, we can practice the best way to respond,” Procopio stated in city communications.

Procopio urged residents to use the drill as a reminder to revisit emergency go-bags, register for the Pasadena Local Emergency Alert System and review communication plans. City communications emphasized preparing emergency supplies including medications, pet food and other daily necessities. Officials noted that preparedness extends beyond earthquakes to all types of disasters, including wildfires, windstorms and floods.

The drill simulated a response to a massive earthquake that experts say could produce at least two minutes of shaking across hundreds of miles. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 7.8 earthquake would cause more than 1,800 deaths, 50,000 injuries and more than $200 billion in damage, along with long-term disruptions.

“It’s not a matter of if an earthquake of this size will happen — but when,” according to the ShakeOut website. “And it is possible that it will happen in our lifetime.”

Officials recommend Californians prepare to be self-sufficient for 72 hours following a major disaster. That includes having a first-aid kit, medications, food and enough water for each household member to drink one gallon per day. Residents should also know how to turn off gas in their homes in case of leaks.

The Great ShakeOut has been held annually since 2008, initially launched as a collaboration between local agencies and Caltech using a magnitude 7.8 earthquake scenario to model impacts and responses. The drill is held on Oct. 16 each year in remembrance of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which resulted in 63 deaths and widespread damage.

California leads the nation with its first-in-the-nation Earthquake Early Warning system, which provides residents extra seconds to take protective action before shaking occurs. The MyShake app has been downloaded more than 4 million times and provides alerts in six languages.

The drill reinforces the state’s readiness for what Governor Gavin Newsom described as an inevitable seismic event. California has a more than 99% chance of experiencing a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake in the next 30 years.