
Only two in five Kiwis feels prepared for a disaster according to a 2022 report from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Though New Zealanders are aware of natural disasters and their impacts, it’s not been followed through with action, says Gary Knowles, director of civil defence emergency management.
“Research indicates an Alpine Fault earthquake is likely in the next 50 years and the impacts of extreme weather events caused by human-induced climate change are only becoming more frequent and intense. There’s more need to prepare now than ever before,” Gary adds. “While we can’t stop disasters, a few simple steps can make getting through a disaster easier and less stressful.” He also says getting prepared is easier than you think – it just starts with a conversation and a plan. In 2024, New Zealand’s emergency preparedness website www.getready.govt.nz added accessibility features to make it easier for everyone to get ready for such an event. It’s a fantastic resource to browse (after reading this, of course). To get you started, here are some tips for getting ready for a natural disaster or emergency event. Don’t leave your preparation too late.
Creating a Personalised Emergency Plan
Learning about the possible hazards in your area will help you and your loved ones be better prepared. Depending on where you live and work in New Zealand, the hazards you may face can vary. Coastal towns are more at risk of storms and tsunamis, those near rivers are more at risk of flooding, and other areas might be more at risk of earthquakes or volcanic activity, as examples.
Creating a personalised emergency plan is more than navigating your exit route if something happens when you’re at home. It also includes thinking about what things you need every day and work out what you would do if you don’t have them. You also want to think about the places you spend a lot of time and tailor your plan to each of them too: work, in a grab bag, at home, in your car, and so on.
Building Your Emergency Kit
When an emergency happens, you need to be able to look after yourself and those in your care for at least three days. You probably have most of the things you need already. You don’t have to store all of your items in one place, but consider that you might have to find them in a hurry or in the dark.
You will need water for three days or more. It’s good to have at least nine litres of water for each person, enough for drinking and basic hygiene. Long-lasting food that doesn’t need cooking (unless you have a camping stove or a gas barbecue) is also needed. If you have special dietary needs, ensuring you’re covered for at least three days at home is essential. In the case of evacuation, emergency shelters may lack the food that you need.
Don’t forget that you and your neighbours can help each other out. Knowing your community is important for many reasons, but a more practical one is support and connection during trying emergency times. By looking after yourself and your household, you’re also helping your community. Emergency services will need to focus their limited resources on the people who need the most help. Don’t assume that someone else will be there to help you. After an emergency, reach out to family and friends, or others who have survived the disaster. You can also find support from people who aren’t directly involved, as they may be able to offer objectivity.
Other essentials include toilet paper and large plastic buckets for an emergency toilet, work gloves, and a good face mask to manage dust and other airborne concerns. Power cuts could impact EFTPOS and ATM machines, so having some cash on hand is a good idea. Further, if you have pets, think about how you will care for them in an emergency.
Get Ready recommends putting a grab bag together of essential supplies that you can quickly take with you. Each bag should have walking shoes, warm clothes, a raincoat and a hat, water and snack food (for pets too), hand sanitiser, a portable phone charger, cash, and important documents and your photo ID. Remember any medications you might need and keep your first aid kit, mask or face covering, torch, radio and batteries somewhere you can grab them in a hurry.
If you have a car, planning ahead for what you will do if you are in your car when an emergency happens makes sense. A flood, a snowstorm, or a major traffic accident could leave you stranded in your car for an extended period of time. Store essential emergency survival items in your car, and if you’re driving in extreme winter conditions add a brush, shovel, tire chains, windshield scrapers, and warmer clothing. Regardless of the weather you should store a pair of walking shoes, a waterproof jacket, essential medicines, snack food, water, a phone charger lead and a torch in your car.
Staying Informed During a Disaster
It’s important to know all of the ways you can stay informed during an emergency. If the power goes out, a solar or battery powered radio (or your car radio) can help you stay up to date with the latest news. In an emergency, tune into stations like Radio New Zealand, The Hits, Newstalk ZB, and More FM.
Emergency Mobile Alert is another way of receiving information about emergencies in your area. If your life, health or property is in danger, Emergency Mobile Alerts can be sent to your mobile. You don’t need to sign up or download an app, they blurt out an alarm and are sent universally to all phones connected to New Zealand’s network.
When you get to know your neighbours, you’re more likely to look out for each other, especially during and after an emergency, like a storm or a large earthquake. Swap contact details so you can get in touch in an emergency. Tell them about your emergency plan and ask about their plans. Find out who can help you and who might need your help. A community emergency plan can help your community understand how you can help each other in an emergency. Talking with other people in your community is one of the best ways to prepare for emergencies.
Online spaces are also important sources of information. For local updates, check your council’s website and social media. As well as your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group website and social media. Visit www.civildefence.govt.nz and the Civil Defence Facebook page.
There will be some groups of people or networks already in your community. These could be Civil Defence Emergency Management, Neighbourhood Support, volunteer, church and sports groups, schools, marae, or service organisations. Make contact with them and find out what they are doing.
In an emergency, they may help with basic supplies and coordinating support efforts. Contact your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group to see if there is already a community emergency plan for your area. They can work with you to identify strengths, resources, risks and solutions to help your community get through an emergency.
Recovering After a Disaster
Depending on the scale and seriousness of emergencies, the impact on people, communities, regions, and New Zealand differs. How well we recover from events will depend on how well e have prepared to recover. Per the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, “recovery means the coordinated efforts and processes to bring about the immediate, medium- and long-term holistic regeneration and enhancement of a community following an emergency”.
Recovery should support the cultural and physical well-being of people and communities, minimise further disaster impacts and escalating consequences, reduce future hazard exposure so build resilience, and take the opportunity to generate and improve communities to meet changing future needs.
Coordination between agencies, organisations, and communities matters just as much during recovery as it does during response. Planning for recovery before emergencies happen helps to improve this coordination, and ensures that from the first day of an emergency, communities have the support and resources they need to begin the recovery process.
It’s important to take care of yourself after an emergency or natural disaster. Eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and get enough rest. Avoid using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs to cope with your emotions. Instead, try healthy ways to relax, like breathing exercises, meditation, or calming self-talk. Staying positive and healthy means you can better serve the community and those that also need help to stay positive and healthy.