The Great ShakeOut is coming to a Metro train near you at approximately 10:18 a.m.
Should you be in the East Portal at Union Station or on a train and notice it slowing down around that time, fear not: it is just a safety drill.
In the event of a serious earthquake, trains would slow down in order to be able to stop quickly to avoid damaged tracks or other hazards. The drill will take about 15 minutes.
Want to know more about what to do if a quake hits during your commute? The Source invites you to stop by the Emergency Preparedness Fair in the East Portal of Union Station between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. At 11 a.m., you can observe a train evacuation and the procedures that would be used in the event that the systems were to become disabled. The demonstrations will take place north of the Union Station Gold Line platform.
Although the recommended actions are that you "drop, cover, and hold on," I can't imagine that hiding under a shopping cart next to cartons of bleach is exactly what the safety gurus have in mind. But many thanks to the L.A. Times for the morning giggle:
