MAP: Significant San Francisco Bay Area fault lines and strong earthquakes
Thursday morning at 10:17, Californians stopped what they were doing and practiced what to do when an earthquake hits.
Remember, there are three simple steps -- drop, cover and hold on.
Those with the MyShake earthquake early warning app should have received a test alert at 10:17.
FROM THE ARCHIVE: ABC7's Peabody Award winning coverage of 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
From the Archives: Peabody Award winning coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake
At the same time, BART trains automatically slowed down to 27 miles per hour before coming to a brief stop.
UC Berkeley hosts earthquake preparedness drill, block party on Loma Prieta anniversary
UC Berkeley's Office of Emergency Management partnered with the city of Berkeley to host the drill and Preparedness Block Party Thursday.
They're hoping to get students and community members earthquake ready because experts from FEMA say, it's not a matter of if but when the next big earthquake will happen.
Precisely at 10:17 a.m. Thursday morning, Berkeley staff in the campus Seismology Lab knew exactly what to do, drop, cover and hold on.
This is part of an international drill, initiated by the MyShake earthquake early warning app, developed by UC Berkeley.
"When an earthquake happens, we have only moments to react and so if we can practice that ahead of time, and build the muscle memory, it allows people to act more quickly and when people act quickly, in the event of an earthquake, it can help keep them safe, even save their lives," Dante Randazzo, a FEMA Federal Preparedness Coordinator for Region 9 said.
UC Berkeley also brought out an earthquake simulator called the "Big Shaker."
ABC7 ORIGINALS DOCUMENTARY: 'The Earthquake Effect' provides in-depth coverage on Bay Area's readiness for the next major earthquake
ABC7 Originals Documentary: 'The Earthquake Effect' provides in-depth coverage on Bay Area's readiness for the next major earthquake
The goal is to help students and community members get an idea of what a 7.0 earthquake could feel like.
"When that actual shaking starts, it's easy to kind of freeze in the moment, and I think having a simulator like that is great because it gets you accustomed, oriented to how you would drop cover and hold on," Randazzo said.
Thursday also marks 35 years since one of the most significant disasters in the Bay Area -- the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Sixty-three people were killed, thousands more were injured, and it caused $5.6 billion in damage.
"I think it just underscores the importance of the preparedness before so that in the moment, you can protect yourself as much as you possibly can," Lori Nezhura, the Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention for Cal OES said.
Nezhura says preparation for "the big one" extends far beyond Thursday's drill, and there are things you can be doing now to get ready, like putting together an emergency preparedness kit for your home.
"It would include water and non-perishable food items, medications or lists of medications, other important documents, if you have pets, it would include essential pet supplies," she said. "We talked today about even securing items in your home, and securing your home on its foundation, if you have an older home."
VIDEO: What to pack in your earthquake emergency kit
What to pack in your earthquake emergency kit
For more information on what to put in your kit, or what to do in case of a major earthquake, visit this page.