College of Arts and Sciences
UofM to Participate in National Earthquake Drill on Oct. 15
Thursday, 08 October 2026 - The University of Memphis will participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, the national annual earthquake preparedness drill on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10:15 a.m.
The event will take place on International ShakeOut Day, held annually on the third Thursday in October. The exercise is an opportunity to practice reacting calmly and safely during a seismic event and can help save lives.
At 10:15 a.m., all Tigers, including faculty and staff, are encouraged to practice the recommended earthquake safety procedure, "Drop, Cover and Hold On," and to stay in the position for a minimum of 60 seconds. By becoming familiar with this procedure, participants will be better prepared to respond in the event of an earthquake.
- DROP to your hands and knees as soon as you feel shaking or receive an alert.
- COVER your head and neck with your arm and, if possible, take cover under a sturdy desk or table.
- HOLD ON to the furniture for stability, keeping your head and neck covered until the shaking stops.
To support this effort, the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) will host a ShakeOut event in the University Center Atrium from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. featuring:
- Earthquake preparedness information and safety resources
- Demonstrations by CERI scientists and staff
- Hands-on activities and exhibits
- 3D-printed and Virtual Reality models
- Information about earthquake hazards in the Mid-South
