Willows elementary Grade 3 student Emilia Vozian put pencil to paper to create an award-winning earthquake awareness poster.
Emilia’s poster placed third in the Show Me ShakeOut contest hosted by ShakeOutBC and the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The contest sought posters and videos from students across the province, showing the importance of earthquake preparedness and how the simple steps of Drop, Cover and Hold On can save lives.
“Thanks to all the participants who did an amazing job of sharing the life-saving message of “Drop, Cover and Hold On,” said Oak Bay Fire Chief Dave Cockle, president of the BC Earthquake Alliance. “Fostering an interest in earthquake risk and readiness early on is integral to building a culture of preparedness in British Columbia.”
The poster contest was open to primary and intermediate school students in kindergarten through Grade 7 and the video contest was open to students in Grades 8 to 12.
“IBC is proud to once again sponsor the Show Me ShakeOut poster and video contest,” said Bill Adams, IBC vice-president, Western and Pacific. “We all have a role to play in creating a culture of preparedness in British Columbia and across the country, and this contest is a great way to get our youngest and brightest involved.”
The winning posters can be viewed at shakeoutbc.ca. The winning video is available on the ShakeOutBC YouTube channel.
This year’s province-wide ShakeOutBC drill is scheduled for 10:20 a.m. Oct. 20. The annual drill aims to raise awareness about BC’s earthquake risk and the importance of Drop, Cover and Hold On. In 2015, more than 776,000 British Columbians participated in the drill, joining more than 40 million people worldwide. For more information about ShakeOutBC and how to register visit shakeoutbc.ca.