Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

At 9.26am on September 26, New Zealand will hold its first nationwide earthquake drill. Called New Zealand ShakeOut, the aim of the exercise is to help people and organisations get better prepared for major earthquakes, and practice how to be protected when they happen. It is hoped to have more than one million participants. To date, more than 250,000 people are registered to participate – including me!

A dedicated website has been set up to help people engage in the exercise and it is well worth visiting www.getthru.govt.nz to register and to access the wealth of information the site has to help you get prepared. It has information on earthquake hazards, region by region, and makes the point that all of New Zealand is susceptible to earthquakes, and though there is a variation of earthquake activity across the country, a big earthquake could happen anywhere – as happened in Christchurch.

So, how can you become involved?

• Go to www.geththru.govt.nz and register – select the one of the 18 categories that best represents you, for example, individual and family, school, business etc.
• Talk to your management at work and ask them to get your organisation involved and encourage staff and others to register and get involved as individuals and families.
• Download information you could use as an organisation, for your own planning, and to inform staff and others.
• Plan how you would do an earthquake drill at your work, home or school etc.
• Consider a 'preparedness theme” for each of the months before the New Zealand ShakeOut drill - these could include:

• practicing Drop, Cover and Hold (the recommended earthquake response action)

• conducting evacuation (especially if you are in a tsunami zone)

• compiling emergency supplies at work

• encouraging preparedness at home

• identifying key business information and backup and storage

• reviewing business continuity plans etc.

• Think where your family members and loved ones would be at 9.26am on September 26, then plan what you would do and how you would get in touch with each other.

Just a moment's thought about Christchurch's experience should convince you, it is very worth-while getting involved.

If you have any views on this or any other issue, email me: neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me: 07 579 5150. Or you can check out my website: www.janenees.co.nz