Did you join in on The Great Guam Shakeout on Thursday morning? At exactly 10:20am, families, schools and businesses practiced the earthquake response drill - “Drop, Cover And Hold On”.

The Great Shakeout began in 2009 in Southern California and eventually spread across the world. Its goal is to increase earthquake awareness, preparedness and response to the public by practicing how to protect themselves during an earthquake.

Here on Guam, the majority of its registered participants are from the K-12 grade. KUAM News was at a pair of schools to check out if they were ready for The Great Guam Shakeout, starting with a kindergarten class at Finegayan Elementary.

"Why do we drop? So we won’t get hurt," a teacher said with her students echoing their response.

"Why do we cover? So we can be safe. So we can be safe and why do we hold? So if the desks move, we don’t get hit and so that we do not get hurt and we can go with it. That’s right, so if the desks move, we move with the desk."

Over at okkodo high, Miss Andrina Palomo and her class were more than ready for the drill. "We do practices with students and sometimes, I have to prepare on my own what we should do in case of an emergency, should it actually happen," she said.

And as far as Okkodo junior Jasmine Bustos can remember, she’s been participating in The Great Guam Shakeout her whole student life. "Ever since elementary, we’ve been taught, pretty much trained since then what to do in case of an emergency like this," she said.

The Great Guam Shakeout happens every third Thursday of October at exactly 10:20am. Along with Guam, the CNMI also took part in the shakeout. Doing this exercise every year is vital as you may only have seconds to protect yourself before violent shaking knocks you down or drops something on you and by doing this, you and others will be much better prepared to respond.