26 April 2012

Social Media To Help Us Get 1 Million People Doing
An Earthquake Drill At 9:26-26:9

Today, with the launch of its Facebook page (NZ Get Thru) and Twitter account (@nzgetthru), New Zealand ShakeOut took another step towards having 1 million people do an earthquake drill.

It is exactly five months before 9:26am, 26 September (9:26-26:9) when the campaign will culminate with a nation-wide earthquake drill – Drop, Cover and Hold!

“One million people is a challenging target and we have to spread the message as many different ways as we can,” the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, John Hamilton said.

“We began with the website, today we added social media, there will be radio and TV advertising, media publicity and a lot of work with businesses, councils and government agencies, all aimed at getting people and organisations involved and encouraging them to spread the word.

“Social media is particularly important because it is a great tool for people to spread the message among their own friends and networks.

“We want individuals, businesses, schools – everyone in the country – to feel they are part of a national effort and also that it is their own drill. The question to ask is, ‘what would I do if there was an earthquake at 9:26-26-9?’

“The answer is, do the drill – Drop, Cover and Hold – and also use the campaign as an opportunity to think about our workplaces, schools and homes and what we need to do to plan for an earthquake.”

It’s Easy As 1, 2, 3!

1. Sign up – go to http://www.shakeout.govt.nz/register (registration only takes two minutes!)
2. Spread the word (share with friends, family and workmates via word of mouth, Facebook, Twitter and email)
3. Do the drill – Drop, Cover and Hold on 26 September 2012

Background

New Zealand ShakeOut is based on the highly successful Great California ShakeOut, which began in 2008 and is now an annual event involving more than 8.6 million people in that state. The idea has spread to other states and countries.

New Zealand ShakeOut will be the first ShakeOut earthquake drill held nationwide in the world and will be the biggest earthquake public education campaign ever staged in New Zealand.

Preliminary planning began two years ago and was interrupted by the Canterbury and Christchurch earthquakes. Those earthquakes showed what a terrible impact a large earthquake can have on our country. They have given people in New Zealand an increased awareness of the risk we all face. New Zealand ShakeOut aims to build on that awareness and have people learn what they need to do in their workplaces, schools, homes or wherever they may be. That is why the drill is timed for a weekday morning when people will be going about their normal day-to-day business.

If a disaster happened now, would you be ready? www.getthru.govt.nz

ENDS

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