SEMA News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2011

Cuba fifth grader wins statewide earthquake awareness poster contest

Poster contest promotes Missouri's participation in the "Great Central U.S. ShakeOut" earthquake drill on April 28

A fifth grader from Cuba is one of the winners of Missouri's statewide earthquake awareness poster contest and was recognized on Monday, March 21. Leah Berg, a student at Crawford County R-II Middle School, took the top prize among fifth graders for her poster showing the best way for people to protect themselves in an earthquake. 

The award presentation and a demonstration of the "Drop, Cover, Hold On" technique of self-protection during an earthquake that Leah's poster helps promote were held at Leah's school on March 21. State Emergency Management Agency and local officials, and a member of the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission took part in the award ceremony and led the Drop, Cover Hold On earthquake drill demonstration. 
The Missouri Seismic Safety Commission sponsored the "Show-Me ShakeOut" Poster Contest to promote the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, an 11-state earthquake drill at 10:15 a.m. on April 28. Third, fourth and fifth grade students across Missouri were invited to create posters promoting earthquake awareness. Statewide winners have been chosen from each grade level, and will each receive an Apple iPod Shuffle from the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission and the SEMA. The winning posters will be displayed on SEMA's Web site and featured at earthquake awareness events throughout 2011.
The ShakeOut, on April 28, will be the largest earthquake drill ever to be held in the central U.S. More than 1 million people are already registered to participate, including more than 200,000 in Missouri. The drill was organized as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the great New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-12. It teaches Drop, Cover, Hold On as the best way to protect yourself in the event of a real earthquake.
To register for the ShakeOut, visit http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/. For more information on earthquake preparedness in Missouri, including a three-minute video demonstrating Drop, Cover, Hold On, visit http://sema.dps.mo.gov/earthquake_preparedness_2011/.


  

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For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov