Federal Courts Participate in
Southern California Earthquake Drill

Federal Court employees leave their offices for a shelter-in-place exercise
during the Great Southern California Shakeout Earthquake Drill.

Federal judges and others employed by the federal courts in the Los Angeles area participated in the Great Southern California Shakeout Earthquake Drill on October 15, 2009.

Some 500 employees in the Los Angeles, Riverside, and Santa Ana Divisions of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California - along with appeals court judges and staffs of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and probation and pretrial services offices - took part in a "drop, cover, and hold on" exercise and a shelter-in-place drill.

"The drills ensure that we identify any potential problems, and allow us to verify that everyone knows his or her responsibilities in case of an emergency," said U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who serves on her court's security committee.

The drill was part of the Central District's long term Continuity of Operations and Emergency Planning process. The court plans another drill in the spring of 2010.