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8.5M Participate In The 'Great California Shakeout'

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — More than 8.5 million Californians took part in the Great California Shakeout Thursday morning.

The Los Angeles Fire Department, Southern California Gas Company and the Community Emergency Response Team are teaming up to educate Angelenos about the importance of earthquake preparedness.

Students and workers across the state participated in a 10:20 a.m. earthquake drill.

Los Angeles' Bushnell Elementary School was used to carry out simulated evacuations. The fire department also responded to "emergency calls" from the school by bringing rescue apparatuses and FEMA search dogs.

"Every single day at MySafe:LA, we teach kids in Los Angeles how to be safe in emergencies," MySafe:LA Executive Officer David Barrett said. "But on October 20th, we're taking our usual education program to a whole new level. This will be a full fledged LAFD drill, complete with moulage victims, trapped students, USAR and heavy rescue apparatus, and FEMA search and rescue teams. This will not only be a learning experience for the kids of Bushnell Elementary, but essential training for the LAFD and CERT."

The southern end of the San Andreas fault hasn't suffered a significant rupture since 1690, making the greater Los Angeles area more than 200 years overdue for a 7.0 earthquake.

For more information visit, the Great California Shakeout and MySafe:LA.

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