Bordewich Bray Elementary School third graders Alice Williams, left, and Zoey Craig take part in the school’s Great Nevada ShakeOut drill Oct. 21, 2021. (Photo: Jessica Garcia/Nevada Appeal)
Bordewich Bray Elementary School students took cover under their desks at the first sound of a bell and direction Thursday as part of the Great Nevada ShakeOut, an annual drill held in the Silver State to teach students and educators about protecting themselves in an earthquake. In teacher Lyndsay Evans’ third-grade class, students took cover under their desks as an administrator called over the intercom prompting students to be safe and simulating a sudden quake coming on, reminding students to drop to their knees, using arms to protect their heads and necks and using sturdy tables or desks as needed. Students also were reminded to help others. Carson City School District schools participated in the drill Thursday, and worldwide, approximately 19 million people were expected to conduct similar drills and activities in their own community, according to a press release from CCSD. Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the United States, Bordewich Bray Principal Cheryl Richetta said after the drill. “I think safety is really important and we want to make sure everybody knows what to do,” Richetta said, adding the school conducts various drills for fire, lockdown and safety. External companies with different specialties are brought in to help with such training at Bordewich, she said. “Communities often have warning of natural disasters, such as tornadoes, fire, floods and the like, however, earthquakes can strike suddenly and without warning,” said Ann Cyr, risk manager for the Carson City School District. “It is important that our school community knows the action steps to take to protect themselves from injury.” Parents also are informed at the beginning of the year and encouraged to help their children at home for earthquakes and other natural disasters, Richetta added. “We do drills a lot,” she said. “We try to shake it up a little bit, and sometimes we’re letting them know they’re coming, and later on we won’t. It’s one thing if you know what to do when you’re prepared, but we want to make sure they’re also prepared if they don’t know it’s coming.” For information on the Great Nevada ShakeOut, visit www.shakeout.org/nevada.
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