MEDIA RELEASE
6 September 2013

Riverton Youngsters a Great Example of Get Ready Get Thru

The schools, day-care and kindergarten in Riverton will undertake their second tsunami evacuation drill on Tuesday, 10 September at 10am.

The previous drill undertaken in 2011 worked extremely well with the senior students helping to organise a walking bus to take the junior students to safety at the Longwood Rest Home on SH99.

Emergency Management Southland Advisor Jayne McAllister said with Get Ready Get Thru week starting on the 23rd of September the community’s drill is a timely demonstration of community emergency planning in action “This is a great example of a local community taking responsibility for its own emergency planning,” she said.

“These Riverton education providers realise the possibility of a large earthquake originating from the south-west of Southland, which could generate a devastating tsunami. With this in mind they have acknowledged their responsibility toward begin self-sufficient, in this case, by acting first, rather than spending precious time waiting for official advice,” said Ms McAllister.

The Get Ready Get Thru week aims to highlight the importance of being prepared for a natural disaster emergency. During that week Emergency Management Southland will be undertaking various activities throughout the region. Please visit www.getthru.govt.nz for helpful information on types of disasters and how to prepare for them, including a household plan, emergency survival items and what to have in a getaway kit.

ENDS

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