FEMA earthquake preparedness day

Drop, cover and hold on. Those are the steps people all across Arkansas and the Central United States are being encouraged to take on Feb. 7 at 10:15 a.m. CST.

It's all part of the annual central U.S. ShakeOut, an earthquake drill organized and coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and its Member and Associate States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Geological Survey and dozens of other partners.

"Individuals, families, businesses and government organizations - everyone has a role in disaster preparedness," said FEMA Region 6 Deputy Regional Administrator Tony Robinson. "When you participate in a drill, put together a supply kit, have a preparedness plan and stay informed, you are taking steps to protect yourself and loved ones in the event of a disaster."

You only have seconds to react to an earthquake, so it's important to know what to do when the ground starts shaking. On Feb. 7 you can practice the following:

• DROP to the ground,

• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and

• HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

The drill will start at 10:15 a.m. when the National Weather Service sends a tone-alert to the NOAA Weather Radio, letting everyone know it's time to "Drop, Cover, and Hold On."

The ShakeOut is free and open to the general public. You can get more information or register to participate by visiting www.shakeout.org/centralus. For more information on earthquake preparedness tips, visit http://www.ready.gov/.