Students at Enner Glynn School are primed and ready for the big national Shakeout at the end of the month, with the earthquake drill already part of their curriculum.
Even the schools newest students, some of whom moved to Nelson with their families after the Christchurch earthquakes, have the drill down pat and principal Isaac Day says they are looking forward the Shakeout.
“We do different drills each term and we did the earthquake drill in term one but because it coincides with the Shakeout we’ve been doing the earthquake drills again this term.”
The Shakeout is a nation-wide earthquake drill being promoted by Civil Defence. An estimated 1 million people will take part in the drill on September 26 at 9.26am in businesses, schools, shops and offices around the country.
Isaac says the school’s 325 students and 40 staff members will take part in the drill and says it’s important for everyone to get involved in. “We do have a number of kids who have come to us from Christchurch so we have to do it in a way that’s not going to freak them out. There is definitely still some anxiety there so it’s important for us to be involved. I think it’s a great initiative and happy to be involved in it and it’s topical because we are all connected to Christchurch in one way or another.”
