In support of the annual Great Nevada ShakeOut at 10:17 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, Clark County emergency management officials are offering some earthquake safety tips.

The Great ShakeOut is a worldwide event that encourages people and organizations to participate in an annual earthquake safety drill on their own or as part of a larger group. Participants are asked to organize “Drop, Cover and Hold On” drills for 60 seconds on ShakeOut Day at schools, businesses, government agencies, homes and other locations. The ShakeOut drill is scheduled to occur at 10:17 a.m. on Oct. 17. Nevadans are encouraged to be counted as participants in the annual drill by registering online at www.shakeout.org/nevada. So far more than 630,000 Nevadans are registered to participate in the drill, including almost 500,000 in Clark County.

“The Great ShakeOut is an important exercise to remind people around the world about how to protect yourself in the event of an earthquake,” said Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels, who oversees the Office of Emergency Management. “Earthquakes can and do occur in Clark County. We encourage as many people as possible to participate in the drill either at home or in their workplaces.”

Nevada is one of the most seismically active states after California and Alaska. Officials say most earthquake-related injuries occur because of falling objects, breaking glass, or trips and falls when people try to evacuate. The best protection if you are indoors during an earthquake is to get under heavy furniture such as a desk or table until the shaking stops, and to stay away from windows to avoid shattering glass. If you are in a vehicle when shaking starts, pull over to a clear location avoiding bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible. To limit injuries in an earthquake, shelves should be fastened securely to walls. Large, heavy objects should be placed on lower shelves. Do not hang heavy objects on walls over beds or sofas and chairs where you sit.

“Property Brothers” HGTV stars Drew and Jonathan Scott helped Clark County create a 30-second TV Public Service Announcement to educate residents about earthquake safety. The PSA is posted on the County’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwbJhENzVCg. A related safety tip handout in English and Spanish is on the Fire Department’s website pages at https://tinyurl.com/2uhwuukt. More earthquake safety information is available at https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes.     

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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability.  With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.4 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2023). Included are the nation’s 5th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.