Earthquake Drill?!

Today I volunteered at my son's kindergarten class. Aside from sorting papers and sharpening pencils, I got to help with the Earthquake drill. I don't think I was really much help because I did not grow up in an Earthquake area. I grew up in Pennsylvania. We practiced fire drills and eating tastykakes! (OMG I miss those!)

The teacher was very prepared. You Stop, Duck and Cover for the Earthquake drill, and I assume for an earthquake too. Then you line up and go outside to the edge of the playground where the electrical wires go overhead. Yes, that looks like the safest place to wait while they search the school for injured people.

I have never experienced an earthquake. I moved here 2 years ago. Somethings out here are just different. Like the surplus of terriyaki restaurants. I don't understand this terriyaki obsession in the Seattle area. I think terriyaki restaurants outnumber Starbucks here 3 to 1 and everyone knows how many Starbucks overwhelm the Seattle streets!

I have a friend who I used to work with. She moved here about 5 years ago from Texas, another place that is not known for earthquakes. Like me, she never had to practice earthquake drills. A few years ago, there was a small earthquake here while she was at work (this was before I moved here). Everyone in the company stopped, ducked and went for cover under their desks. Everyone except my friend. It took a minute to understand what was going on. She thought it was funny that suddenly her chair was rolling all over the place! By the time someone yelled at her to stop laughing and rolling around on her chair and to get under her desk, the shaking had stopped. The moral of the story is that earthquake drills aren't just for kids! Don't forget us new-Washingtonians! We need drills too!