How to ShakeOut
Me pēhea te Whakahaumaru
Find basic instructions on how you can get prepared and take part in New Zealand ShakeOut.
Before the drill
- 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 a coastal area.
- Learn about the earthquake and tsunami risk in your area and other parts of New Zealand.
- Share the ShakeOut – use our resources to get the people around you involved.
- Download and share our Drop, Cover and Hold and Long or Strong: Get Gone posters. Remind yourself and others what to do in an earthquake or tsunami.
Information for schools, businesses and individuals
- Find ShakeOut information for schools and early childhood centres. We know that when kids are involved in preparing for emergencies, they encourage their families to be more prepared. And they play a more active role in responding to and recovering from emergencies.
- Find ShakeOut information for business and organisations. An emergency plan is a health and safety requirement. Not having one is a big risk for your business and the people in it.
- Find ShakeOut information for individuals, households and families. Taking part is a great way for your whānau to learn the right actions to take before, during and after an earthquake and tsunami.
Doing the drill
ShakeOut is a self-run drill. You can start it in whatever way works for you. You could:
- use a bell, whistle or alarm
- play the New Zealand ShakeOut Announcement over your PA system
- shout “EARTHQUAKE DRILL”, or
- tune in to our Facebook livestream.
Drop, Cover and Hold for 30–60 seconds:
- DROP down on your hands and knees. This protects you from falling but lets you move if you need to.
- COVER your head and neck (or your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk (if it is within a few steps of you). If there is no shelter nearby, cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
- HOLD on to your shelter (or your position to protect your head and neck) until the shaking stops. If the shaking shifts your shelter around, move with it.
While you are doing the drill, take note of what might be happening around you in a real earthquake. Think about what you might need to do to prepare for a real earthquake.
Use this New Zealand ShakeOut audio announcement to start your earthquake drill. Play it through a speaker or PA so everyone knows the correct action to take.
| shakeout-drill-day-audio-en-jul19.mp3 | mp3 | 1.9 MB |
Tsunami hīkoi
If you are in a tsunami evacuation zone you should practise your evacuation route, or ‘tsunami hīkoi’. A tsunami hīkoi is a walk that takes you along your tsunami evacuation route either inland or towards high ground.
learn about tsunami hīkoi
After the drill
After your ShakeOut drill and tsunami hīkoi:
- Talk about what you learned with your family, workmates, flatmates or friends.
- Make changes or add to your emergency plans if you need to.
- Share your ShakeOut photos, videos and stories on social media.
Resources
Learn why Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take in an earthquake.
| drop-cover-right-action-fact-en-apr15.pdf | 160 KB |
Learn what to do in an earthquake in different scenarios. Watch these earthquake safety videos produced by the Southern California Earthquake Center.
Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take in an earthquake. Watch this short video to find out more about Drop Cover and Hold.
If an earthquake is Long or Strong, Get Gone. Watch this short video to find about Long or Strong, Get Gone.
Download and share this factsheet on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
| drop-cover-earthquake-happens-fact-en-dec16.pdf | 2 MB |
Download and share this factsheet in Te Reo Māori on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
| drop-cover-earthquake-happens-fact-mi-jan17.pdf | 117 KB |
Download and share this factsheet in English about what to do before, during and after a tsunami.
| long-strong-earthquake-fact-en-dec16.pdf | 1.9 MB |
Download and share this factsheet in Te Reo Māori about what to do before, during and after a tsunami.
| long-strong-earthquake-fact-mi-jan17.pdf | 104 KB |
Translated resources
Download, print and share our Drop, Cover and Hold factsheet and posters in multiple languages to learn what to do during an earthquake.
Download, print and share our Long or Strong, Get Gone factsheet and posters in multiple languages to learn what to do during a tsunami.