Nationwide Earthquake Drill To Take Place Next Week

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DOVER, Del. (CBS Local) - The Delaware Emergency Management Agency is encouraging everyone to take part in a nationwide earthquake drill next week.

The "Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill" will be held on Oct. 18 at 10:18 a.m.

All you need to do is drop to the ground, take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on.

You can register online to receive information on how to plan a drill and how to prepare for an earthquake. Officials hope the drill can help people practice their emergency plan in case of an earthquake and help them discuss what needs improvements in case of a real earthquake.

Earthquakes are rare in Florida, and the reason for the relative peace has to do with Florida's position on the North American plate, according to LiveScience.com. The state sits on the passive margin of the plate, a transition from land to ocean that isn't seismically active. In contrast, the western end of the North American plate — the active margin — is slipping under the Pacific Plate, triggering the medium-to-large earthquakes that are commonly experienced in California.

According to the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), there have only been about 24 "seismic events" reported since 1727. A 1997 review suggested that only five were actual earthquakes.

You can register your family, school, business or organization in the drill at http://shakeout.org/register/.