Previously: Earthquake Drill This Morning Means BART Stopping, Gavin On All Fours
Mayor Gavin Newsom ducked under school desks along with more than 500 students at San Francisco’s Alamo Elementary School today as thousands participated in emergency earthquake drills across the city.
The exercise was part of the Great California ShakeOut, a statewide earthquake preparedness event now in its third year.
“These drills become important because they’re not an abstract question,” Newsom said.
“It’s not just fun to roll, duck, and cover. It’s real, and it’s scary.”
About 30 students in Room 212 at the school, located at 250 23rd Ave., still had fun hiding under desks this morning, or at least getting to meet Newsom.
“Meeting the mayor was awesome,” said 9-year-old Joseph Lerner.
He added, however, that the rest was rather unpleasant. “I didn’t like the earthquake drill. We had to crouch under tables,” he said.
Rachel Elliott, Lerner’s teacher, ran a practice drill before today’s official drill at 10:21 a.m.
“What we know about our classroom is that it’s far too small and there is far too much in it,” she said.
Several fire and emergency officials attended. The mayor was asked by hundreds of children to sign autographs on the school playground.
“I’m a little taller than I was since I was in fourth grade,” Newsom said. “It’s tougher now getting under a small little desk with seven kids.”
Saul Sugarman, Bay City News
