Earthquake drill at a school, Sylhet
Drop, cover, hold on, as Japan teaches it: a one-hour drill at one school and a marked assembly point.
- 0/4 people
- About 4 hours
- 10
- points
About this task
The Sylhet region lies near the Dauki fault and is among the country’s most earthquake-prone areas. An earthquake drill at a school, with the head teacher’s consent: teaching pupils to drop, cover and hold on, then, at the bell, walking out calmly in lines to a set place in the open field. The time the whole school takes is measured.
Why it matters
Bangladesh sits in an active seismic zone, and experts count crowded cities such as Dhaka and Gazipur among the most at risk from a large earthquake. Many injuries come from panicked running and crowding on stairs. A child who has drilled once knows what to do.
What changes after
The whole school reached the open ground within two minutes; a drill poster in every classroom; the school decides to drill twice a year.
Who can join
Anyone; best with a teacher or someone trained by the fire service.
Step by step
0 of 3 steps doneHow to do it, in order.About 2.5 hours across all steps
- 1
The head teacher and a date
A date and time agreed with the head teacher; parents told by a note.
60 min
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet - 2
Teach: drop, cover, hold
In each class: drop to the floor, cover the head under the desk, hold on until the shaking stops.
45 minপোস্টার
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet - 3
The drill and the assembly point
At the bell, lines leave class by class to the field; one teacher counts; the time is noted.
45 minবাঁশি, চক
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet
What you need
- Posters · ৫টি
When it counts as done
- The whole school reached the assembly point within two minutes
Proof required
- Photo
- Video
Safety
Walk, never run, on the stairs. Keep the assembly point away from walls, wires and trees. Tell parents beforehand so nobody is frightened.
The full guide
What it takes, and how to do it
Never done this before? No matter. The cost, the timeline, who does what, whom to speak to, the day hour by hour, the risks and ready words to send are all here.
- About
- ৳1,400–3,300
- People
- 4
- Time in all
- 4 hours
- Age
- 16 or older
Best timeAny school week except exams. The first or second period is best, when everyone is in class.
PermissionThe head teacher's written consent; parents told beforehand by note or diary.
What it costs
Prices differ by district and season; this is a 2026 estimate. Keep receipts and put them in the proof.
| What | How much | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Posters: drop, cover, hold on (colour, A3)5Where: Print shop | 5 | ৳40–100 |
| Whistles4Where: Sports shop | 4 | ৳30–80 |
| Lime powder or chalk (to mark the assembly point)1 lotWhere: Hardware or stationery shop | 1 lot | ৳100–250 |
| Photocopied note to parents300 copiesWhere: Photocopy shop | 300 copies | ৳1–2 |
| First-aid box1Where: Pharmacy | 1 | ৳500–1,000 |
| Water and snacks for volunteers4 peopleWhere: Grocer | 4 people | ৳80–150 |
| Total (about) | ৳1,400–3,300 | |
Getting ready, step by step
14 days before
- Meet the head teacher; fix the day, time and whether it is one class or the whole school.
- Apply to the nearest fire station for support.
7 days before
- Walk the building: which stairs each class uses, any locks or blockages.
- Fix the assembly point: away from walls, power lines and trees.
- Send the note to parents.
3 days before
- 15-minute teacher briefing: the signal, who is on which stairs, who calls the roll.
- Write down each classroom's way out to the field.
The day before
- Mark each class's spot on the field in lime.
- Check stairs and corridors are clear.
The day
- Teach in class, then whistle and drill; time it.
- Roll call on the field; tell the head teacher the result.
Who does what
Drill lead and timekeeper1
Blows the whistle, times it, sums up what went well and badly.
Stair marshals2
One per staircase: “walk, don't run”, hold the rail.
Assembly point and photos1
Seats classes on their marks; photos and video.
Whom to speak to first
School head teacher and managing committee
- Why
- Consent, timing and teachers' help are theirs to give.
- How
- Hand in a written request; show the plan on one page.
Nearest Fire Service and Civil Defence station
- Why
- They run school drills and training; pupils take it more seriously.
- How
- Write to the station officer two weeks ahead.
Parents
- Why
- Without notice, children may go home frightened.
- How
- Tell the date and time by diary or a short note.
The day, hour by hour
- 08:30Team arrives; checks stairs, doors and field again.
- 09:0015 minutes per class: drop, cover your head under the bench, hold the leg; away from windows and cupboards.
- 09:30One practice in class, without the whistle.
- 09:45Whistle: “Earthquake!” Everyone drops, covers, holds for 30 seconds.
- 09:46Second whistle: shaking stopped; lines walk out by the stairs, heads covered with a book or bag. No lift.
- 09:50Classes sit on their marks; class teachers call the roll; total time noted.
- 10:00Five minutes with all: what went well, where it jammed.
- 10:15Posters up in classrooms; fix the next drill with the head teacher.
How to take the proof
- Pupils under benches, from behind or the side.
- A wide photo and video of the assembly, with the clock time.
- A one-line note signed by the head teacher: how many pupils, how many minutes.
- No close-up faces; nothing published without the school's consent.
Common first-time mistakes
- Teaching pupils to run out while it is still shaking.
- An assembly point beside a wall or power pole.
- Sending every class down one staircase.
- Not timing it; nothing to compare next time.
What can go wrong, and what to do
Pushing or falling on the stairs
Release classes one by one; when a marshal says “stop” everyone stops; first aid at hand.
Small children get scared and cry
Present it like a game; a teacher or volunteer stays with the little ones.
A rumour afterwards of a real quake
Notice to parents first; ask children to tell their families at home what it was.
Ready words to send
Copy, fill the [brackets], send.
Invitation to volunteers
Earthquake drill at school: [school], [date], 8:30 to 10:30 am. We will teach pupils to drop, cover and hold on, then walk, not run, to the field. Four people needed, over 16, for stair duty and photos. Join on the task page or tell [name].
Application to the head teacher
To: The Head Teacher, [school], [address] Subject: Permission for a one-hour earthquake drill at the school. Sir/Madam, Our volunteer team [team name] would like to hold a one-hour earthquake drill at your school on [date] at [time]. Pupils will learn to cover their heads under the benches while it shakes and, once it stops, to walk calmly down the stairs to a marked place on the field. Parents will be notified beforehand; the nearest fire station has also been invited. No photos of pupils will be published without your consent. Yours faithfully, [name], team lead, [date]
After it is done
- Leave a poster in every classroom.
- Ask the school to put two drills a year on its calendar.
- Give the head teacher a note of where it jammed (stairs, doors).
- Compare the time at the next drill.
Questions people ask
Does the fire service help?
Yes, Fire Service and Civil Defence run drills and training in schools. Apply at the nearest station; with them the drill teaches more.
Is running out not right in a quake?
Not while it shakes. Then, head covered under a desk; once it stops, walk out calmly.
Can I join if I cannot stay the whole time?
Yes. Say in your request which step or which hours you can do. The lead will give that step to you.