Great U.S ShakeOut Drill to Prepare La Grange Residents for Earthquakes

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency wants La Grange residents to be prepared if the ground starts shaking.

The state will be participating in the Great U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill Oct. 17, which will teach people how to respond in the event of a major tremor.

“The purpose of the drill is to raise awareness that earthquakes can occur in Illinois, and educate residents about how to ‘Drop’ down to the floor, take ‘Cover’ under a sturdy desk or table, and ‘Hold On’ until the shaking stops,” said a release on the village of La Grange’s website.

People who choose to participate can download a recording of an emergency alert that's meant to be played at 10:17 a.m. on the day of the drill. They'll also get educational materials about how to react to an earthquake.

While Illinois might not seem like prime earthquake territory, a release from the IEMA said the strongest earthquake ever in the U.S. occurred along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches into southern Illinois. That series of earthquakes happened over the course of several months about 200 years ago. The waves could be felt all the way on the east coast.

Visit the National Earthquake Drill website to register and get more information on what the event involves.