Shakeout
Join ShakeOut 2025: Practice Earthquake & Tsunami Safety on 16 October
Earthquakes and tsunamis can strike without warning, but we can prepare. That’s why New Zealand’s national drill ShakeOut 2025 invites everyone, schools, businesses, households, and neighbourhoods to take part in a simple yet powerful exercise to build resilience and confidence. Get Ready
On Thursday 16 October at 9:30 am, participants across the country will practice Drop, Cover, and Hold for 60 seconds and if in an evacuation zone, follow up with the appropriate tsunami evacuation.
What is ShakeOut?
ShakeOut is New Zealand’s official earthquake drill and tsunami evacuation exercise, coordinated by the National Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the Natural Hazards Commission.
It’s a self-run drill you choose how to participate in your context (home, school, workplace, or community). All you need is to commit to the 60‑second Drop, Cover, Hold, and then, if relevant, practice your evacuation route. Get Ready
You can sign up, download posters, fact sheets, and share ShakeOut with your networks to encourage wider participation. Get Ready
Why Participate?
- Build muscle memory when an earthquake strikes, you won’t have to think, you’ll act.
- Raise awareness by doing this publically, you encourage others to prepare too.
- Test your plans find weaknesses in your evacuation routes, gathering points, or household readiness.
- Sense of community when many people participate, it fosters a collective readiness mind-set.
Already, over 615,000 participants are registered nationwide for 2025. Get Ready
How to Take Part
- Sign up for ShakeOut 2025 on the official Get Ready site. Get Ready
- Plan your drill decide when/where to simulate the event (e.g. in class, at work, at home).
- At 9:30 am on 16 October, everyone drops, covers, and holds for 60 seconds. If you’re in a tsunami zone, follow your evacuation hīkoi. Get Ready
- Debrief & improve talk through how it went, identify gaps, and adjust your emergency plan.
- Share your experience, photos, and lessons to motivate others. Use the resources (posters, fact sheets) on the Get Ready ShakeOut page. Get Ready
Tips for Success
- Practice the drill in realistic settings: classrooms, living rooms, workplaces.
- Discuss roles in your household who checks doors, who leads evacuation, where your safe gathering point is.
- Consider accessibility, ensure people with mobility or sensory impairments are included in planning.
- Repeat the drill (quarterly or semi‑annually) so the response becomes second nature.
Call to Action
Mark your calendar for 16 October, 9:30 am. Register now at getready.govt.nz/involved/shakeout and commit to performing Drop, Cover, Hold and if needed, your tsunami evacuation with your family, colleagues, and community. Together, we can make New Zealand safer and more prepared.
Let’s make ShakeOut 2025 the biggest, strongest drill ever!
