Bay Area LIFE: Learn how to prepare your family for the next quake

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Great ShakeOut is a worldwide event, where millions of people practice earthquake preparation, including drills such as: Drop, Cover, and Hold On.

This annual event began in 2008, with California leading the way with the most participants. Everyone, everywhere is invited to participate, whether they are in homes, schools and businesses, to practice what to do during earthquakes. This year's global event will be held on October 20, 2016 at 10:20 a.m.

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Earthquakes can come on quite suddenly, and preparing ahead of time will help everyone to react quickly and calmly in the event of an earthquake emergency.

ABC7 has partnered with the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), one of the world's largest providers of residential earthquake insurance, to help keep your family safe.

The CEA encourages California homeowners and renters to reduce their risk of earthquake damage and loss through education, mitigation, and insurance policies to help repair and rebuild damaged homes, and replace valuables and personal belongings. The CEA is not for profit, privately funded, publicly managed and not tied to the state budget.

RELATED: Disaster preparedness resources

To sign up and participate in the Great ShakeOut here.

For more information visit, click here. To learn how the California Earthquake Authority can help you protect your home, click here.