SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake is not only a day to remember the tragedy, but it should also be a reminder to be ready for the next big quake.
On Thursday, San Francisco’s mayor and other city leaders taught a class of kindergarteners to duck, cover and hold on.
The class of kindergarteners at Rosa Parks Elementary crawled under their desks during the Great California Shakeout — a drill practicing how to duck, cover and hold on during an earthquake.
The class was joined by some special guests including the fire chief, police chief and the city’s mayor.
In addition to being a lesson in how to stay safe in an earthquake, it was also a trip down memory lane for Mayor London breed, since she is an alumna of this school.
After the second part of the drill, where the children evacuated to the schoolyard, the mayor did more reminiscing about living through the Loma Prieta quake.
“I know all of you weren’t born back then but I was and I was a freshman in high school and I remember that time and the lessons I learned at Rose Park Elementary school,” Breed said. “As a teenager I applied the same lessons and they did not disappoint.
The district superintendent says the hope is that the kids will take what they learned today and bring that lesson home to their parents to spread the message of the importance of earthquake preparedness
“We want our young people to be ambassadors,” said San Francisco Unified Superintendent Vincent Matthews. “We want them to go home, share with their parents — what to do and earthquake, but also how to be prepared making sure you have supplies, emergency kit, food, water, batteries, radio.”
One 4th grader said she’s ready to share what she learned with her family.
“I’m going to tell them the mayor came and we need to get ready once the earthquake comes,” she said.
It’s a lesson that everyone living in the Bay Area needs to take seriously.