If people drop to the ground and find cover at Thursday morning, do not be alarmed.

It's simply people taking part in the "Great California Shakeout" drill promoted by state and school officials as a training exercise on how to respond to an earthquake.

At 10 a.m. Thursday, everyone in California - kids at school, workers working, shoppers shopping and reporters interviewing - are expected to drop to the floor, seek cover and hold that position.

Local emergency officials throughout the state have been gearing up for the "Great California Shakeout" for the past several months.