Students participate in earthquake drill

By: Katie Roach Email
By: Katie Roach Email

LETCHER, Ky (WYMT) - Last November many people can remember the ground shaking during a 4.3 earthquake which epicenter was in Letcher County.

Millions of people including students and staff at a local elementary school participated in an earthquake drill called "The Great Shakeout."

Students at Letcher Elementary School say they remember November's quake well.

"I was in there playing Xbox and it started shaking, and I was like 'what's going on here?' And then I go in the living room and everything is shaking," said fourth grader Aeryn Watts.

The school which is located just a few miles from the epicenter decided to participate in "The Great Shakeout" on Thursday so their students will be prepared if it happens again.

Students quickly dropped, covered and held on to their desks like the recording which played over the intercom prompted them to.

"It really caught us all off guard. This area has never experienced anything like that in our time. So for this to happen and for us to learn from it and take precautions and grow and get better at it, that is really good," said first grade teacher Tyler Watts.

"It's important because you do not want anything to fall on your head or fall or hit you or something because it could give you a minor concussion or break a bone or two," said Aeryn Watts.

The staff says the key to keeping everyone safe is to be prepared.

The principal says the students participate in monthly fire drills, tornado drills and lock down drills.

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