School Newsletter 4: Ministry Guidelines

This is the fourth of five e-mails prior to the ShakeOut and the topic for today is

MINISTRY GUIDELINES

Attached is the MOE toolkit 14 for your use in preparing hazard specific procedures. It is a good basis for earthquake planning, but some additional notes could be useful to make it site specific (eg. the assembly area, position of significant power lines, etc).

The MOE have broad Worksafe guidelines available at http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/SchoolOperations/HealthAndSafety/EmergencyManagement.aspx and these are useful in the preparation of local documents relating to health and safey issues such as earthquake hazard management.

The problem with detailed planning is often that it rests lodged in the brain of the author and the files on a bookshelf, and in the case of earthquakes it is what is known, understood, and practiced by individuals at all levels in a school that will be what happens. Sharing this sort of information is crucial, and perhaps involving others in the preparation of such documents would be equally wise. Of course, you will only know how effective your planning is after the event. Hmmm ....

COMMUNITY SHAKEOUT EVENTS

Meet the geoscientist evenings will help you associate the risk of earthquake with the vast scientific background (3 events):

Monday 14 September. Club Buller (between Queen St and Russel St, formerly the Buller Workingmen's Club), Westport, 7.00pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Tuesday 15 September. Kingsgate Hotel, Greymouth, 7.30pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Wednesday 16 September. Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika, 7.30pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Westland

"A day at the beach" (DOC) incorporates some fun 'earthquake' events such as a 'tsurf the tsunami' body boarding display at 4.30pm on Hokitika Beach and a Shake, Rattle and Roll Wild Night at Stumpers, Revell Street from 6.00pm. (Checkout the whitebait realy on Weld Street at 3.30pm too)

Kowhitirangi Valley Earthquake Field Trip, Saturday 19 September 9.30am - 6.00pm, cost $10, contact Westland District Council to book a place (limited to 30).

Chris Manuel
West Coast ShakeOut Coordinator
www.shakeout.org.nz

The information in this e-mail is the opinion of the author, after significant research. If you are making decisions based upon it, please take the time to follow the links and check up on the details that will affect your decision. Copies of this and previous e-mails will be available shortly on the website http://www.shakeout.org.nz, so if you have only just registered you can see what you have missed.