Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and Health Hawke's Bay have joined forces to ensure local children gain an understanding of what to do in an earthquake, especially on the coast.
All Hawke's Bay children will be given a free copy of the award winning bi-lingual children's book, Rūaumoko's Walk/Te Hikoi a Rūaumoko based on Kahungunu legends and dialect telling the story of what to do in an earthquake with a subsequent tsunami threat.
The book was developed as part of a wider project by a Hawke's Bay collaborative working group providing bilingual resources for Hawke's Bay Kōhanga Reo and Early Childhood Education kaiako/teachers, whānau and children, to support their knowledge of planning for local civil defence emergencies.
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Emergency Management Advisor – Community Engagement Jae Sutherland said the book has now been picked up nationwide with many other regions distributing it in their communities.
"The entire Hawke's Bay coast is at risk from tsunami and even if you don't live in a tsunami zone, most people in the region will spend time near the coast.