The Earth Rocks! @ Te Papa This Labour Weekend

The Earth Rocks! @ Te Papa This Labour Weekend

The Earth Rocks! @ Te Papa on this Labour Weekend (22-24 October), is an exciting weekend of displays, demonstrations and activities for all the family focusing on various disasters and raising awareness about what New Zealanders can do to protect themselves should natural disaster strike.

The Earth Rocks! @ Te Papa is a biennial event presented by Te Papa in conjunction with founding sponsor EQC (The Earthquake Commission) and a number of other agencies such as GNS Science, Wellington’s civil-defence experts, the Police, the Fire Service, Urban Search and Rescue, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Enjoy an action-packed weekend of earthquake-related events. See a display of emergency vehicles, including antique fire engines. Learn how to ‘quake safe’ your home with ‘Cocksy’, New Zealand’s favourite DIY man (from television’s Dream Home). Much-loved Suzy Cato will keep things going throughout the weekend!

In the lead up to The Earth Rocks!, EQC and a second Te Papa sponsor, GNS Science, would like to find out what New Zealanders want to know about natural disasters... and then answer these curly questions!

DISASTER ASK - Earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions: what do YOU want to know? Where is the safest place in an earthquake? What can I do to prevent landslides? Where should I go if there is a tsunami? Will any of Auckland’s 50 volcanoes ever erupt? Who insures me if my house is buried in landslide?

Here is a chance to get expert answers to the questions YOU have always wanted to ask!

EQC and GNS Science will be lending their scientific expertise to create a virtual panel to answer all your disaster related questions about tsunami, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Until Monday 16 October, people are invited to visit www.tepapa.govt.nz/DisasterAsk to ask their questions about natural disasters. The expert panel will review the questions under each category and answer some of the most common (and some of the more unusual) questions via a filmed link webcast, which will be broadcast by TelstraClear from the same site from Saturday 21 October. The webcast will also play at Te Papa over the Earth Rocks! weekend.

The expert panel will include Dr Hamish Campbell (Chair of event), Te Papa’s GNS Science-sponsored Geologist-in-residence; Dr Warwick Smith (Earthquakes) a senior seismologist, Wendy Saunders (Landslides), Dr Graham Leonard (Volcanoes), also from GNS Science; and an insurance specialist from EQC.

THE EARTH ROCKS! @ TE PAPA EVENTS PROGRAMME (Labour Weekend, 22-24 October)

Saturday 21 October 2006, 10.00am–6.00pm. Throughout Te Papa. Free entry.

Join us for free earthquake-related events, displays, and demonstrations – with guest appearances by Suzy Cato and ‘Cocksy’. View a spectacular high-angle rescue demonstration by the Fire Service and the Police, and try your luck in the 10 Litre Water Container Race. All events free entry.

Sunday 22 October 2006, 10.00am–6.00pm. Throughout Te Papa. Free entry.

Not to be missed – Westpac Rescue Helicopter demonstrations! Let Suzy Cato entertain the kids, and get advice on how to make your house safer in earthquakes from Cocksy in the Quake Safe House. Tour the Awesome Forces and Quake Braker exhibitions, and enjoy 10 Litre Water Bottle Bowling. Competitions, quizzes, prizes, and more. All events free entry.

Monday 23 October 2006, 10.00am–6.00pm. Throughout Te Papa. Free entry.

See Westpac Rescue Helicopter demonstrations, emergency vehicles, civil defence displays – and more. Enjoy games for kids and families with Suzy Cato. Tour the Awesome Forces and Quake Braker exhibitions. Hear earthquake survivor stories, see film screenings, and listen to talks from scientists and geological experts. There’ll be competitions, prizes, and much more throughout Te Papa. Last day, so don’t miss the fun – and the valuable info! All events free entry.

For full listings of what’s happening over Labour Weekend, check out our website www.tepapa.govt.nz.

Don’t miss it when The Earth Rocks @ Te Papa over Labour Weekend!

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Paul Brewer, Director Marketing & Communications, 04 381 7023

Gisella Carr, Director Funds Development 029 3861484

Bridget MacDonald, Manager Communications, 04 381 7083, 029 601 0180 bridgetm@tepapa.govt.nz

DISASTER ASK – EXPERT PANEL

Dr Hamish Campbell (Chair of event) – Dr Hamish Campbell is a Wellington based research scientist employed by GNS Science in Avalon, Lower Hutt. Educated at Otago, Auckland and Cambridge universities, Hamish has been a professional geologist since 1978 and his main research interests have focussed on the older rocks and fossils of New Zealand. However, he is best-known as 'the geologist at Te Papa' since Te Papa opened in 1998, where he is partly responsible for the 'Awesome Forces' exhibition. In 2005 he was involved in setting up the 'Volcanoes' exhibition at Auckland War Memorial Museum. As a museum geologist, he has become accustomed to communicating science to the public.

Wendy Saunders (Landslides) – After graduating from the University of Waikato with a Masters of Social Science, Wendy was employed by the Wellington Regional Council as the Hazards and Emergency Management Officer for the Wairarapa. Wendy has six years planning experience, and is a member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. With four years experience working for Opus International Consultants, Wendy has regional and district planning experience. While employed at GNS Science, Wendy has been a key member in drafting the proposed planning landslide guidelines, and was part of the team that reviewed the Active Fault Guidelines. Currently, Wendy is involved in assessing the linkages between policies and documents prepared under the Resource Management Act framework, and those prepared under the Civil Defence & Emergency Management Act framework.

Graeme Leonard (Volcanoes) – Graham’s research focuses on the geology of New Zealand’s volcanoes and on improving warning system effectiveness and he heads the compilation of the Rotorua sheet of QMAP, the revised geological map of New Zealand. Graham works with the Department of Conservation at Tongariro National Park testing warning systems, collaborating on social research and developing public education. He also works in the team researching the history of the Auckland volcanic field aiming to improve hazard management in the region.

Dr Warwick Smith (Earthquakes) – Dr Warwick Smith is a senior seismologist at GNS Science. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California and M.Sc. from the University of Auckland. From 1979 to 1995 he was Chief Seismologist at DSIR and then GNS, and in that role he was often interviewed on television and radio, frequently after large or moderate earthquakes had occurred in New Zealand. His research specialty is the assessment of earthquake risk, and with colleagues he has developed procedures for using available geological information to assess the level of risk and how it varies throughout New Zealand. For 15 years he was also a member of the United Nations working group concerned with the detection of underground nuclear explosions by seismological means.

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