Massey wants staff and students to 'drop, cover and hold'

New Zealand's first national earthquake drill is planned for September 26 – at 9.26am – and Massey is taking part.
Staff and students will be asked to "drop, cover and hold" as part of New Zealand ShakeOut.

Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey says the University fully supports ShakeOut, which aims to get a million New Zealanders taking part. Massey will distribute personal emergency cards to staff and students and run a competition to encourage participation. A training exercise will also be held on the day to test the University’s emergency management systems.

“Ideally, no matter where they are, at 9.26am on September 26 we want all our staff and students to, drop to the ground, cover their heads with one hand – or get under a desk or table – and hold on to something,” Mr Maharey says.

A competition has been designed to challenge staff and students on each campus, including distance students, to promote emergency preparedness actions with their colleagues and classmates. Prizes include emergency equipment and backpacks. There is also a $200 Kathmandu voucher on offer for the most outstanding entry.

A key aspect of the day for the University’s three campus emergency management teams will be a training exercise to test and refine emergency response planning.

In preparation for ShakeOut, briefings to staff by campus registrars will be held on each campus, where a top-up item for emergency backpacks will be handed out. Staff without backpacks can collect one at the briefing.

Mr Maharey says if ShakeOut becomes an annual event it will be an important focus for exercising the University’s emergency systems. “The University council and senior leadership team see ShakeOut as a critical opportunity for our people – staff, students, visitors, and our wider community, to get better prepared,” he says. “Our aim is to start small this year, and keep building our capacity and activities each year.”

During the past year the University and Campus Emergency Management Committees have refined the emergency management strategies and policies to ensure the University has a robust emergency management framework.

Find out more about Massey’s ShakeOut competition here.