Linfield University will take part in the 2025 Great ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:16 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. The annual international event helps communities prepare for earthquakes through coordinated safety drills and awareness activities.
During the exercise, a CatAlert message will be sent to the Linfield community. The message is only a test, but it serves as a reminder that, in the event of a real earthquake, individuals should “Drop, Cover and Hold On.”
“Good safety and preparedness don’t happen by accident,” said Erik Stenehjem, Linfield’s senior director of safety and risk management. “Drills like the Great ShakeOut help us build habits and awareness that make our entire community more resilient.”
Emergency officials agree that in most situations, if you feel shaking or get an earthquake alert, immediately:
- DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.
- COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand.
- If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter.
- If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall.
- Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.
- HOLD ON until the shaking stops.
- Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts.
- No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.
Linfield encourages students, faculty and staff to take additional steps to be prepared for emergencies, including:
- Downloading the Wildcat Guardian app, which delivers alerts quickly and provides safety resources.
- Signing up for CatAlerts via text. All employees and current students automatically receive email alerts, but text notifications require opting in through Etrieve in MyApps. (Text-code sign-ups must be renewed each year.)
- Creating an emergency kit for vehicles and workspaces.
- Knowing your evacuation location, which can be confirmed with a resident advisor or manager.
More information about campus safety and emergency preparedness is available at linfield.edu/safety.
