People in government offices, businesses and schools throughout the county will stop everything for a minute Thursday to "drop, cover and hold on" during a statewide earthquake preparedness drill, now in its 16th year. The Great California ShakeOut of 2024 is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m. "What we do to prepare now, before the next big earthquake, will determine how well we can survive and recover," according to a statement posted to ShakeOut.org. "Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are a once-a-year chance for everyone to practice `drop, cover, and hold on' and learn other earthquake safety tips." MORE: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/californias-annual-earthquake-drill-thursday-what-to-know-about-the-great-shakeout/509-5695eb9b-06ba-4869-a4c3-6526255d3b99