Chris Bishop
National List MP based in the Hutt Valley

16 September 2015

Local MP encourages earthquake preparedness

National List MP based in the Hutt Valley Chris Bishop sees the benefits of encouraging locals to participate in ShakeOut 2015.

“ShakeOut is a Civil Defence initiative designed to help kiwis prepare for an earthquake by practising drop, cover and hold,” says Chris Bishop.

“Similarly with ‘stop, drop and roll’, simple messages like this can save lives. It is pleasing to see over 25,000 Hutt Valley locals have already signed up to practise the drill next month. This is the fifth-largest uptake in New Zealand.

“Between now and 15 October I am confident we will have many more workplaces and families pledged to take part,” says Mr Bishop.

New Zealand’s 2012 earthquake drill had the highest participation rate of any country, beating the US, Canada and Japan.

“By signing up on the website kiwis can get information on the right actions to take before, during and after an earthquake. There are also resources for schools, businesses, non-English speakers and people with disabilities.

“With parts of the Hutt Valley having high earthquake hazard risk and sitting on a major fault line, it’s important here in the Hutt Valley we get prepared,” says Mr Bishop.

So far over 900,000 people are signed up nationwide. The goal is to have at least 1.5 million people taking part at 9:15am, 15 October 2015. See more at http://www.shakeout.govt.nz/index.html.

ENDS

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