Lynwood – Students at Lincoln Elementary School exchanged whispers in eager anticipation of their school bell during the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 19, among 14,500 Lynwood Unified students to take part in the annual earthquake drill.

At precisely 10:19 a.m., alarms sounded across school campuses signaling to students the drill had begun and they should take cover under their desks. Students remained in their safe positions – with their heads tucked while holding onto the base of their desks – until a second bell announced that the drill was complete.

“It was fun, I wasn’t scared,” Lincoln Elementary first-grade student Emmanuel Flores said, of his school’s drill, which concluded with all classes filing outside for a roll call. “It was good practice.”

Leading up to the drill, administrators reinforced emergency procedures with students, including finding appropriate cover to prevent objects from injuring them, where to go for safety and where to find first aid kits in the classroom.

Lynwood Unified staff also reviewed emergency protocols, including procedures to check student and teacher absences, how to handle injuries on campus and what roles each staff member has during the drill.

Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite and LTA President Debbie Diaz joined officers from the Sheriff’s Department and monitored the ShakeOut from a District command center control room to ensure the drills were completed correctly.

“We want our students to always be prepared for an emergency, and ShakeOut is a great way to give our children the safety tools they would need in the event of an earthquake,” Crosthwaite said. “The program connects students with their peers and our District with the state as we all strive for safety.”

The Great California ShakeOut began in 2008 and encourages communities and schools to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies in case of an earthquake.

“ShakeOut is a day each year that helps us reaffirm our commitment to keeping all of our students safe,” Board President Alma-Delia Renteria said. “Our participation on this day has become a part of our culture as Lynwood Unified remains steadfast in our commitment to the well-being of every child.”

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102317_LUSD_SHAKEOUT: Lincoln Elementary School students took cover under their desks during the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 19 which promoted earthquake preparedness.