Morning visitors to San Diego's Balboa Park Museums received a first-hand look at safety procedures during the drill. The drill began at 10:15 AM when the bells from the top of the Museum of Man's California Tower signaled the start of a simulated 7.8 magnitude earthquake off the southern tip of the San Andreas Fault.
Visitors and employees alike were instructed to drop, cover and hold if on the inside of a building while those outdoors were lead to areas safely away from power lines, trees or heavy objects which could fall over. After the simulated shaking was to stop, all occupants of the buildings were evacuated to the outdoors.
Other public agencies and schools also took part in the drill.
Organizers expected seven million people to actively participate in this year's drill. 5.5 million people took part in the 2008 drill.
State and local officials have advised residents of California to make preparations to be self-sufficient for at least a seventy-two hour period should a severe earthquake strike. Items to have at the ready would be a first-aid kit, food, medications and ample water for each person to drink one gallon per day for three days. Keep sturdy shoes near your bed and in your car. Know how to turn off the gas in your home or apartment building. Keep a spare pair of eyeglasses in your car if possible. Don't forget to make provisions for family pets as well.
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