ShakeOut

What ShakeOut does

ShakeOut is a nonprofit, globally coordinated earthquake preparedness drill program founded in 2008 and administered by the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) at the University of Southern California. The program teaches and practices the 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On' earthquake safety methodology through an annual synchronized drill held on the third Thursday of October (International ShakeOut Day), with the option to drill any day of the year. It serves K-12 schools, businesses, government agencies, healthcare facilities, colleges and universities, and individuals and families across more than 30 official regions spanning U.S. states and territories, Canadian provinces, Japan, and New Zealand.

Name

ShakeOut

Legal name

Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC)

Website

https://shakeout.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Earthquake Preparedness Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Response Coordination & Incident Command (EOC/ICS) (HLAJAGAB)

Keywords

• Earthquake preparedness drills
• Seismic safety programs
• Disaster readiness education
• Emergency drill coordination
• Public safety preparedness

Headquarters

HQ city

Emeryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Registration Services: ShakeOut registration is free for all participants. The program is funded through government sponsorships and organizational partnerships rather than participant fees. ShakeOut websites are administered by the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) at USC with support from FEMA, USGS, and other government agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ShakeOut provides a free, coordinated annual earthquake preparedness drill program anchored on the Drop, Cover, and Hold On safety methodology, with most regions drilling together on International ShakeOut Day (the third Thursday of October). Individuals and organizations register through shakeout.org to participate, access drill broadcast recordings, leader presentations, sector-specific flyers, the ShakeAlert toolkit, and the Outsmart the Quake! middle school curriculum. The program is delivered through a decentralized network of state and regional emergency management coordinators across 30+ Official ShakeOut Regions.

Product overview

ShakeOut is a coordinated earthquake preparedness drill program administered by the Statewide California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California. The offering consists of a core registration platform that enables organizations and individuals to participate in annual earthquake safety drills, supplemented by drill broadcast recordings, educational curricula, sector-specific resources, and the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning toolkit. The program operates across multiple U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and international regions, with participation totaling over 60.3 million globally in 2025. Most regions participate on the same date (October 15, 2026), though participants can register for drills on any day of the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ShakeOut Earthquake Drill Program Free coordinated annual earthquake preparedness drill program for organizations and individuals, anchored on the Drop, Cover, and Hold On safety methodology and synchronized on International ShakeOut Day, the third Thursday of October.
• ShakeOut Registration System Free online registration portal where individuals and organizations register for ShakeOut drills, update their information, download certificates of participation, and receive email updates.
• Drill Broadcast Audio and Video Recordings Downloadable audio and video files available in English and Spanish, or playable via YouTube, that guide participants through the earthquake drill and the Drop, Cover, and Hold On procedures.
• ShakeAlert Tests, Drills and Exercises Toolkit USGS ShakeAlert toolkit that integrates earthquake early warning procedures into ShakeOut training activities and drills.
• Outsmart the Quake! Middle School Curriculum Earthquake preparedness curriculum for middle school students (grades 6-8) with lesson plans on disaster prevention, self-protection, home safety, and community preparedness.
• Drill Leader Presentations PowerPoint presentations for K-4, grades 5-12, higher education, and all other organizations, including Spanish versions, audio files, and facilitator guidance for leading ShakeOut drills.
• Sector-Specific Flyers and Resources Custom flyers and preparedness resources tailored for specific sectors including senior facilities, disability organizations, non-profits, faith-based organizations, museums, libraries, animal shelters, healthcare facilities, and others.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60.3 million global participants and over 19.3 million U.S. participants in 2025 alone

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEMA is a major national sponsor of ShakeOut, providing support and resources for earthquake preparedness initiatives across the United States.
• USGS (United States Geological Survey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSGS is a key scientific partner, managing the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System integrated with ShakeOut drills.
• Ready.govcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReady.gov is a national public service campaign that promotes earthquake safety and is integrated into ShakeOut resources and messaging.
• Washington Military Emergency Management DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner coordinating ShakeOut activities in Washington State, including promotion, resources, and regional event coordination.
• Washington State Seismic Safety CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on seismic safety initiatives and ShakeOut coordination within Washington State.
• Washington State Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Washington State ShakeOut coordination, providing geological expertise and resources.
• Washington State Emergency Management AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on emergency management initiatives and ShakeOut promotion across Washington State.
• Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN)majorTechnology or IntegrationProvides earthquake monitoring data and expertise, integrating seismic network information with ShakeOut activities.
• Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) at USCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCEC administers the ShakeOut websites and coordinates the global program from its headquarters at the University of Southern California.
• Earthquake Country AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-state/regional coalition providing resources for earthquake preparedness, including materials for people with disabilities and seniors.
• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal program supporting earthquake safety research and preparedness, with logos and resources featured on ShakeOut materials.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): The U.S. federal program coordinating earthquake safety research and preparedness across four agencies. ShakeOut prominently features NEHRP logos on materials; comparable as the federal umbrella under which ShakeOut operates and is promoted.
• American Red Cross: The leading U.S. disaster preparedness and response organization. Comparable to ShakeOut as a public-facing nonprofit that coordinates emergency preparedness training, drills, and resources for natural and human-caused hazards, though with a broader mission spanning multiple disaster types.
• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): The U.S. federal agency for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. ShakeOut's largest institutional sponsor; comparable as the umbrella public safety authority under whose mandate and funding ShakeOut operates.
• USGS ShakeAlert: The U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake early warning system. ShakeAlert is integrated with ShakeOut drills, and both target the same audience of West Coast residents and institutions seeking earthquake safety resources, positioning them as complementary federal public safety programs.

Direct peers

• Ready.gov (FEMA): FEMA's national public service campaign promoting emergency preparedness across all hazards. ShakeOut is integrated with Ready.gov messaging and shares the same federal sponsor base, making it a direct comparable in the public safety preparedness communication space.
• Earthquake Country Alliance: A California-based coalition that develops earthquake preparedness resources and messaging for ShakeOut. Directly comparable as a public-private alliance producing shared educational materials, sector-specific resources, and disability-inclusive earthquake safety content.

Emerging players

• Citizens Corps: A FEMA-administered community emergency preparedness program that promotes volunteer response teams and neighborhood-level disaster readiness. Comparable as a federally backed grassroots preparedness initiative targeting community-level engagement around disasters.
• MyShake (UC Berkeley): A smartphone-based earthquake early warning app developed at UC Berkeley that delivers ShakeAlert-powered alerts to consumers. Comparable as a tech-forward earthquake safety tool reaching overlapping audiences, though focused on real-time alerts versus annual drills.

Others

• Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN): A regional seismic monitoring network serving Washington and Oregon that partners with ShakeOut for earthquake monitoring and early warning integration. Comparable as a regional earthquake science infrastructure partner feeding ShakeOut's educational and drill activities.

Regional players

• Get Ready (New Zealand): The New Zealand government's emergency preparedness portal that hosts ShakeOut participation for that country. Comparable as a regional government-run preparedness campaign with overlapping drill events and audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shakeout
• YouTubeyoutube.com/greatshakeout
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatShakeOut
• Instagraminstagram.com/greatshakeout
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shake-out

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ShakeOut