Media Advisory: October 18, 2011
University of Nevada, Reno invites media to Great Nevada ShakeOut earthquake drill at Sierra Vista Elementary
Washoe County students will drop, cover and hold on in statewide drill with 200,000 other participants
RENO, Nev. - All Nevada residents, businesses, schools and organizations are urged to register now to be part of the world's largest public earthquake drill - "The Great ShakeOut" held on Oct. 20 at 10:20 a.m. It only takes about a minute to register at www.shakeout.org/nevada. The University of Nevada, Reno's Seismology Laboratory is again teaming up Nevada with California, and new partners Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia and Guam, to build awareness and get residents to practice how to respond in an earthquake.
The Great Nevada ShakeOut is a simple, coordinated "drop, cover and hold on" exercise.
WHAT: The Great Nevada Shakeout public earthquake drill. Media are invited to observe a second grade class hear a short presentation on earthquake safety and do the drill. Interviews will be held following the drill.
WHEN: 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20. Media should arrive before 10 a.m. to allow for set-up time before the class presentation and drill.
WHO: Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory and the statewide coordinator for the Great Nevada ShakeOut; Superintendent Heath Morrison; University of Nevada, Reno President Marc Johnson; Sierra Vista Principal Jonna AuCoin and participating Washoe County School District staff and students.
WHERE: The entire State of Nevada, but the media is invited to observe the drill in a second grade classroom and to interview director of the Great Nevada ShakeOut at Sierra Vista Elementary School, 2001 Soaring Eagle Dr., Reno, room M-4. Google map for Sierra Vista Elementary.
WHY: On 10/20 at 10:20 a.m., Nevada's schools will join with other participants in Nevada, California and other western states in a simple drill to teach students how to drop, cover and hold on in the midst of an earthquake for at least 60 seconds. In Washoe County, all teachers and staff will then direct students to evacuate their classrooms.
ShakeOut website media resources page: http://www.shakeout.org/nevada/media/index.html. Radio and television media are encouraged to play the Great ShakeOut drill at 10:20 on 10/20. Audio and video files are available on the resource page.
Participants are instructed, wherever they are on 10/20 at 10:20 a.m. - at home, at work, at school, anywhere unless they are driving - to drop, cover, and hold on as if there were a major earthquake occurring at that very moment, and to stay in that position for at least 60 seconds, which is about the time it takes to register for the earthquake drill.
"Nevadans need to realize they live in earthquake country," Graham Kent, Nevada Seismological Laboratory director and coordinator of the Nevada event, said. "Nevada has the third highest incidence of large earthquakes in the United States. A major earthquake in any community, north or south, is possible."
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Editor's Note: The Washoe County School District is partnering with the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno to raise earthquake safety awareness for students.
Nevada's land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of 18,000 students. The University is home to the state's medical school and one of the country's largest study-abroad programs, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu. The University of Nevada, Reno is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
The Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area, Incline Village, Gerlach, Empire and Wadsworth, Nevada. The District provides each of its 63,000 students with a superior education in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduate every child career and college ready. For more information visit: www.washoecountyschools.org. Follow WCSD on Twitter at WCSDTweet.
Media Contacts:
Mike Wolterbeek
Media Relations Officer
University Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
mwolterbeek@unr.edu
Media newsroom: http://newsroom.unr.edu
775-784-4547 phone
775-784-1422 fax
Natalie Savidge
Senior Media Relations Specialist
University Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
nsavidge@unr.edu
775-784-4611 phone
775-784-1422 fax
Nancy Leuenhagen
Public Information Officer
Washoe County School District
775-333-3789 phone
nleuenhagen@washoeschools.net
