Lemont Students Participate in Multi-State Earthquake Drill

Students in "dropped, covered and held on" Thursday morning as they took part in the largest multi-state earthquake drill ever to be conducted in the central United States.

About three million people across 11 states participated in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, an initiative sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with Earthquake Preparedness Month.

Though the Chicago area is hundreds of miles from the New Madrid fault line in southern Illinois, the effects of nearby earthquakes have been felt in years past.

In April 2008, a 5.4-magnitude quake struck downstate in Mt. Carmel. The effects were felt as far as Chicago and Cincinnati, according to an Associated Press report.

The four District 113A buildings joined about 200,000 people across the state as they prepared to "drop, cover and hold on" — the course of action recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"Practicing how to stay safe in any crisis is the responsibility of families and schools," said Debra Lynch, principal of . "When students practice drills, they learn how to protect themselves just in case they need it at a later time. We hope they never do, but they are prepared just in case."

According to the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut website, there is a 25-to 40-percent chance of a magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquake occurring in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which is located in the Central Mississippi Valley.

Bridget Esposito, a third-grade teacher at River Valley, said the drill provided a good opportunity to practice safety guidelines with her students, even if earthquakes are rare in the region.

"Even though it seems unlikely, we want our students to know what to do in the event of an earthquake," she said.

Fourth-grade teacher Suzanne Meyer said she was impressed with how the students handled the activity.

"The children at River Valley School understand the importance of practicing for emergency situations," she said. "They did a wonderful job practicing what we would do in an earthquake."

Several students said they felt more prepared for an earthquake after Thursday's drill.

"The drill was good practice," said fourth-grader Jordyn Smith. "Now we know what to do if a real earthquake happens."

"It was scary when I thought of how the people in Japan must have felt, but it made me feel better to know what to do in case something happens," said Leah, a fifth-grader at River Valley.

Fifth-grade teacher Mary Hately said the drill fit in nicely with the school's behavioral program, which is based on the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program. The school uses the Three R's: Respect, Responsibility and Readiness.

“We practice the drills because one of our three R’s for PBIS is being ready," Hately said. "Students feel more comfortable when they have practiced for a certain situation even though it is highly unlikely that it ever will happen.”