Great California ShakeOut Event Hosted at SoCal University

A big tremor is going to hit a Southern California college on Thursday, but don't be alarmed.

It's the 2014 Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill at Biola University in La Mirada. About 60 volunteers will play the roles of quake victims treated by first responders to prepare for a devastating earthquake.

Organizers are planning an exercise that simulates the aftermath of a hypothetical magnitude 6.7 earthquake centered on the Whittier Fault Zone -- the same zone that triggered the magnitude 5.1 La Habra earthquake in March.

"It’s important to have these types of exercises so when that catastrophic disaster hits, like an earthquake, so that first responders know what to do," said Ken Kondo, a spokesman with the LA County Office of Emergency Management. "We want communities, residents, schools, and businesses to know that they need to be prepared for aftershocks."

Campus staff and police and fire agencies will coordinate the response with federal and state officials, including search and rescue and triage to treat the most badly injured. Training participants will shake and roll in a mobile earthquake simulator called The Ready America Big Shaker.

Students will act as mock victims with a wide range of mock injuries. The school’s nursing students will also get a chance to assist with triage during the exercise.

"The ability to have a dry run for something like an emergency is critical because people find out what works and what doesn’t," said Lance Webster, a spokesman for the Earthquake Country Alliance. "From that perspective, it’s very valuable."