Are you prepared for future earthquakes? With Nevada being the third most seismically active state in the nation, there is potential for major earthquakes.

In many natural disasters — storms, fire, flooding — there are warning signs. Earthquakes can happen at any time, so it is critical that students and staff know exactly what to do when one strikes. The Great ShakeOut is an ongoing effort to educate students and staff on how to protect themselves during an earthquake. UNLV’s office of emergency management wants you to #BeRebelSAFE so…

At exactly, 10:18 a.m. Oct. 18, UNLV will be participating in the Great Nevada ShakeOut. Participants are instructed to drop to the ground, take cover, and hold on for 60 seconds. A RebelSAFE Alert will be sent out to all platforms to signal the start of the ShakeOut drill.

Earthquake drills help to promote awareness and safety, and UNLV wants you to take it one step further. We want to be an example and motivate others on how to be better prepared to survive and quickly recover.

Snap a selfie during the drill, share with your followers, tag @UNLVPD on Twitter with #RebelShakeOut or email eoc@unlv.edu to be entered to win one of four $25 Amazon gift cards. The more we share, the more family and friends we can make aware.

During an earthquake, you might have only seconds to protect yourself before strong shaking. Practice helps you be ready to respond. Use the ShakeOut drill as a chance to look around and take note of what objects could fall and cause injury and make sure to secure those items after the drill.

Then head home and run a drill with your family or roommates. Talk through the different ways to #BeRebelSAFE during an earthquake:

• If you are inside a building, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy desk or table or crawl against an interior wall, and protect your head. Then hold on until the shaking stops. Stay indoors until you are sure it is safe to exit.
• If you are outdoors, find a clear area away from buildings, trees, light poles, and power lines. Then drop, cover, and hold on.
• If you are driving, pull over to a clear location, stop, and stay there with your seatbelt fastened. Once the shaking stops proceed with caution and avoid any bridges or ramps that may have been damaged.

Additional information about earthquake safety is available online or you can contact the office of emergency management at 702-895-5766.