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Prepping for an earthquake (Part 2): The 10-second drill

By The SHTF App Team

The school teacher who survived the big shaker in her classroom had trained her class on the drill so many times it was boring. When the floor started pitching, no kid screamed, no kid ran. Twenty-six children dropped under desks and held the legs while the ceiling fixtures swung. She said afterward that the drill looked dull right up until the moment it looked like a miracle. The instinct to run is the most dangerous thing in the room, and training is how you beat it.

Earthquakes are unique because they offer zero countdown. There is no dark cloud on the horizon, no siren (usually), and no warning text. One second you are drinking coffee, the next, the floor is pitching at a 45-degree angle.

Caution: Instinct is often wrong. When the ground moves, the primitive human instinct is to run, to flee the building. In a modern earthquake, running is statistically the most dangerous action you can take. The ground motion will throw you to the floor, or falling glass and facade masonry will strike you as you exit. Survival in an earthquake isn’t about speed, it’s about stability. By overriding the urge to flee and executing the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” protocol, you secure yourself against the primary cause of injury: falling debris and non-structural collapse. This is Part 2 of the earthquake series.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be considered, professional or emergency-response advice. Always follow the instructions of local authorities.

The Readiness Audit

If the room started shaking violently right now, what is your exact move?

  • Green: You instinctively look for the sturdy table you identified earlier. You drop to your knees before the shaking throws you.
  • Yellow: You know you should get under a table, but you have to look around to find one. You might hesitate near a doorway.
  • Red: You would try to run out the front door or stand in a doorframe (a dangerous myth).

If you are Yellow or Red, memorize Phase 1 immediately.

Phase 1: The Gold Standard (Drop, Cover, Hold On)

Goal: Become a smaller target and shield your vitals.

This is the internationally recognized protocol for a reason. It works in the vast majority of modern building failures.

1. DROP (Stability)

  • The Action: drop to your hands and knees immediately.
  • The Why: the earthquake will knock you down. If you drop voluntarily, you control the fall. If you wait, gravity controls it. Being on all fours gives you stability to crawl.

2. COVER (Shielding)

  • The Action: crawl under a sturdy desk or dining table. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall (away from windows).
  • The Technique: cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If you are by a wall, curl into a ball to protect your internal organs.
  • The Eyes: close them. Shattering glass creates dust and shards that can blind you.

3. HOLD ON (Anchoring)

  • The Action: hold onto the table leg with your free hand.
  • The Reality: in a strong quake, the table will slide across the floor. You must move with it. If you don’t hold on, your shield will slide away, leaving you exposed.

The Takeaway: Drop before you are thrown, cover head and neck, and hold the leg of your shield, because the table only works if it stays over you.

Phase 2: De-Programming the Myths

Goal: Stop doing things that get people killed.

Myth 1: “Stand in a Doorway”

  • The Origin: in old adobe or unreinforced masonry homes, the door lintel was the strongest part.
  • The Reality: in modern wood-frame construction, the doorway is no stronger than the rest of the house. A swinging door can crush your fingers or knock you out. Do not stand in doorways.

Myth 2: “The Triangle of Life”

  • The Origin: a viral internet chain email suggesting you curl up next to furniture to survive a “pancake collapse.”
  • The Reality: in developed nations, total “pancake” collapse is rare. The primary threat is falling bookshelves, lights, and ceiling plaster. If you are next to a sofa, you are hit by the ceiling. If you are under a table, the table takes the hit.

Myth 3: “Run Outside”

  • The Reality: the exterior perimeter of a building is the “Kill Zone.” Windows shatter and rain glass, bricks peel off facades. Stay inside until the shaking stops.

The Takeaway: Doorways, triangles, and running are folklore with body counts. The drill that survives is the one on all fours under a table.

Phase 3: Situational Tactics (Where Are You?)

Goal: Adapt the protocol to your environment.

Scenario A: In Bed

  • DO NOT get up. The floor is moving and likely covered in broken glass.
  • Action: stay in bed. Lie face down. Cover your head and neck with a pillow. Hold on to the headboard.

Scenario B: Driving

  • Action: pull over to the side of the road immediately. Avoid stopping under overpasses, power lines, or large signs.
  • Stay inside: the car is a steel cage protecting you from debris. Set the parking brake. Wait for the shaking to stop.

Scenario C: In a Store/Public Place

  • DO NOT rush the exit. Everyone else will do this, creating a crush hazard.
  • Action: drop and cover near a shopping cart or clothing rack. Move away from tall shelves.

Scenario D: Wheelchair/Walker User

  • Lock: lock your wheels immediately.
  • Cover: cover your head and neck with your hands or a book/pillow.

The Takeaway: The drill is one protocol with four costumes: bed, car, store, and chair each have their own version of drop, cover, and hold.

The Essential Kit Checklist

  • The table: identify the sturdy table in every room your family occupies, before you need it.
  • The drill: practice Drop, Cover, Hold On with the whole family twice a year.
  • The pillow: one per bed, positioned to cover head and neck.
  • The car habit: parking brake set the moment you pull over.

Scenario Planner (Contingencies)

“I’m in a second-story apartment with no table.” The trap: sprinting down the stairs mid-shake. The fix: the interior wall drop, get on all fours against an interior wall away from windows, cover your head and neck with your arms, and curl to protect your organs. The stairs are the most dangerous part of the building in motion.

“My kids are at school and I’m at work.” The trap: driving to them immediately. The fix: the text protocol, every family member executes their own drill where they are, then texts the out-of-area contact (see Part 6). Roads and phones jam, and the plan is that everyone shelters first and reports in after.

Next Steps

  1. Walk your house and name the cover table in each room tonight. Every family member should be able to reach one in three steps from where they usually sit and sleep.
  2. Run one family drill this week, including the in-bed version, because the 3 a.m. version is the one that actually happens.
  3. Read Part 3: The under-bed kit next, for what happens in the ten seconds after the shaking stops, when the floor is glass and the house is dark.

Originally adapted from public FEMA, Red Cross, and USGS earthquake guidance (public domain).