At 9.30am on Thursday, October 27, people all around New Zealand will stop, drop and hold.

Why? Because they will be taking part in New Zealand's ShakeOut and Tsunami Hikoi – the country's national earthquake drill and tsunami evacuation walk.

Now is the time to sign up yourself, your whānau, workplace, school or early childhood centre and do the ShakeOut!

At Western Bay of Plenty District Council, they'll be dropping, covering and holding on the day – identifying safe spaces in the office such as strong interior walls and doorways or sturdy tables to shelter under if there was an earthquake.

The ShakeOut has been an annual event on the Emergency Management NZ calendar since 2012 and is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary since the first national event.

It provides great opportunity for Kiwi's to practice what to do if an earthquake was to happen.

The drop, cover and hold action will stop you being knocked over, makes you a smaller target for falling and flying objects, and protects your head, neck and vital organs.

For those located near the coast you can also practice a tsunami hikoi following the ShakeOut.

To do this, follow your tsunami evacuation plan to get to higher ground or as far inland as possible. Remember – if an earthquake is long or strong, get gone!

Council's community resilience advisor Elle Reid says the ShakeOut is a fantastic time for everyone to practice putting their emergency plans into action.

'It's really important to practice your emergency plans so your whānau know exactly what to do if there was an earthquake, or if you don't already have a plan now's a good time to make one.

'Remember, emergencies can happen at any time and any place without warning, so we encourage everyone to have a plan in place that your household knows, in case you're at work or away from your loved ones at the time.”

There are loads of resources on Council's website to help you and your household learn about the types of emergencies that could happen in our District and how best to help you get prepared.

'The ShakeOut is for everyone - we want to see individuals, families, community groups, workplaces, rest homes as well as schools and early learning centres getting involved and doing the ShakeOut, so make sure you sign up now,” says Elle.

To sign up for the Shakeout, head to https://getready.govt.nz/en/involved/shakeout/sign-up/

For more information on preparing for an emergency and making a plan, check out https://getready.govt.nz/en/prepared/