Hawke’s Bay encouraged to sign up for ShakeOut

With two weeks to go until New Zealand’s national ShakeOut earthquake drill, everyone in the region is being encouraged to sign up now, and this year Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (HBCDEM) have partnered with Volunteering Hawke’s Bay to help drive registrations.

ShakeOut is held across the world to remind people what to do during an earthquake — Drop, Cover and Hold — and to practise a tsunami hīkoi if in a tsunami evacuation zone. This year, New Zealand ShakeOut is taking place on Thursday 28 October at 9:30am.

HBCDEM Community Engagement Team Leader Jae Sutherland said ShakeOut is a great way to raise awareness in our communities about the need to be prepared in the event of a major earthquake and tsunami.

“Understandably, we’ve all been focussed on dealing with the COVID-19 resurgence, but it’s still important to remember that Hawke’s Bay is one of the country’s most seismically active regions, and at risk of an earthquake and tsunami,” Jae Sutherland said.

“Taking part in ShakeOut is a great way for everyone in your whānau, workplace or school to practise what to do. It’s easy to sign up and being prepared for an earthquake can save lives.”

Over 545,000 people around New Zealand have signed up to Drop, Cover and Hold. In Hawke’s Bay over 17,000 people have registered for the drill while nearly 5,800 people have signed up for the tsunami hīkoi. 

Young people are leading the charge with around 11,000 of the region’s school kids registered.

Jae Sutherland said HBCDEM had recently hosted an online hui attended by representatives from various government agencies and community organisations, with a focus on ShakeOut and supporting emergency planning activities across the region.

“One outcome of that meeting is that HBCDEM has partnered with Volunteering Hawke’s Bay to promote ShakeOut to the community. It’s fantastic to have their support in this important kaupapa,” Jae Sutherland said.

Volunteering Hawke’s Bay Manager Leanne Collins said a team of volunteers have been provided with an initial list of around 70 local agencies, schools, businesses and organisations to contact.

“They will be ensuring that groups are aware of ShakeOut, encouraging them to register and checking if they need support in doing this,” Leanne Collins said.

“We are fortunate in Hawke’s Bay to have so many dedicated volunteers ready to use their skills to give back to the community and encouraging more people to get involved with ShakeOut is a really positive way to help,” Leanne Colins said.

How to ShakeOut:

• Sign up to ShakeOut - it only takes two minutes.
• Make a note of the date and time in your calendar – 9:30am, 28 October 2021. If the date and time don’t work for you, you can ShakeOut any time within two weeks and still be counted.
• Know your tsunami evacuation zone. Make plans for a tsunami hīkoi if you are in an evacuation zone. 
• Learn about the earthquake and tsunami risk in Hawke’s Bay.
• Share the ShakeOut – use these resources to get the people around you involved. 
• Download and share these Drop, Cover and Hold and Long or Strong: Get Gone posters.

14 October 2021

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