Marina Students Duck, Cover and Hold On!

“Earthquake, earthquake,” said Marina Vista Elementary School principle Christine Campanero.

When students at Marina Vista School hear those words over the intercom they know what to do.

“I ducked, covered and hold on,” said Marina Vista student Chase Mansfields.

After they duck, cover and hold on, kidsmade their way to the playground.

“If anybody’s missing we have to make sure you know, if someones in the bathroom or in RSP, anywhere that they’re accounted for,” said Campanero.”

Once everyone is present, it’s back tolearning.

“Kinda nervous because I thought that it was going to be a real earthquake,” said Marina Vista student Gabriella Mancilla.

Luckily it was not. The 60 second exercise is part of the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill. It’s a nationwide effort to show people how to protect themselves in the event theground starts to shake.

“Because if there’s a real one when we’re older it might be very dangerous,” said Mansfields.

The drill was not mandatory but all 20 schools in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School district participated.

“We don’t know when it’s going to happen and we need to be prepared,” said Campanero. “So practice helps us be prepared at any time.”

Even though the students are practicing the drill at school, it’s a valuable tool that can be used anywhere.

“At home, in the community, at stores, in their car they’re gonna know what to do,” said Campanero. “So practicing teaches them what to do in any emergency.”