With the return of many members of our community to campus, it is important to remember that California remains “earthquake country.” On average, Southern California experiences more than 10,000 earthquakes per year. While most are quite small, some earthquakes can be large and damaging. UC San Diego students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in the Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill on October 16, 2025. This is a great event to practice what to do during an earthquake. The goal of the ShakeOut is to prepare all Californians to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” in the event of an earthquake. The drill is scheduled to begin at 10:16 a.m., and with more than 8 million registered participants, the Great California ShakeOut is the biggest earthquake drill in the nation. At 7 a.m., UC San Diego will conduct a campuswide residential fire evacuation drill involving approximately 24,000 student residents across all undergraduate residential colleges and graduate family housing communities. During the residential fire evacuation drill, students will evacuate their housing facilities and wait outside until university staff provide clearance to return. This portion of the exercise is expected to last 30–45 minutes. Learn what experts recommend to do to survive an earthquake at Earthquake County Alliance website. Log your participation in ShakeOut activities by filling out the short form on the Blink The Great California Shakeout page.
In preparation for the Great ShakeOut, Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) will host a Great ShakeOut and Gear Up event with UC San Diego Police on Thursday, October 16. Our Great ShakeOut and Gear Up event will take place at the Trolley Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Activities will include emergency preparedness information, hands only CPR/AED, and fire extinguisher training.
During the ShakeOut, UC San Diego will send a Triton Alert emergency notification email message to all ucsd.edu accounts. Students, faculty, and staff will also receive test text messages if they have provided a cell phone number for this method of delivery. Users can update their emergency contact information by going to the Triton Alert Emergency Notification page. We will also send the message via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow us at @UCSDTritonAlert.
In the Event of an Earthquake
If an earthquake occurs, do not run outside and do not stand in a doorway. Drop, Cover and Hold On until the shaking stops, then proceed outside to a safe location. Avoid elevators and use the nearest door with an EXIT sign to leave the building. Follow your department’s Emergency Action Plan (EAP) or learn more about how to develop one on the Blink Department Emergency Action Plan page. Proceed to your designated assembly area, report for accountability, and stay in the area until you receive direction from emergency responders or authorized UC San Diego staff.
Every UC San Diego department is required to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP), which provides detailed information about the evacuation procedures for individual buildings. Take the time to familiarize yourself with your EAP prior to an emergency. If you are not familiar with your department’s EAP, ask your supervisor or advisor for more information. A summary of the university’s emergency response procedures is available at Emergency Guide. For more information about how to prepare for and survive an earthquake, visit Earthquake Country Alliance.
Every department should also develop a Business Continuity Plan and update it annually. Continuity planning prepares UC San Diego to continue its mission of teaching, research, public service, and patient care despite adverse events. By proactively gathering critical departmental information, your department will be able to effectively resume business operations in a timely manner.
For assistance with organizing your drill or information regarding the exercise, please contact Dismas Abelman, Emergency & Mission Continuity Manager, at dabelman@ucsd.edu or 858-534-5451. Additional information can be found at:
