On October 23, 2013 at 10:23AM Montanans across the state will drop, cover, and hold on as part of the 2013 Rocky Mountain ShakeOut, Montana’s first statewide earthquake drill. Montana is a seismically active state, which means that an earthquake could happen at any time. The purpose of the ShakeOut is to educate all Montanans on the appropriate actions to take to ensure safety when the ground starts to shake.

Over 50,000 Montanans have already signed-up to participate in the drill, joining over 21 million people across the globe. Registrants come from Ekalaka to Eureka, and include individuals in public and private K-12 schools, private businesses, state agencies, and more. A growing list of Montana participants can be found at www.shakeout.org/rockymountain.

The 2013 Rocky Mountain ShakeOut is organized by the State of Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, Governor’s Office of Community Service, American Red Cross of Montana, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, and local partners across the state. The drill is supported by the Earthquake Country Alliance, whose members include the U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross.