Response: What to do in an emergency
This page provides messages about response.
Emergencies like earthquakes, floods, storms, tsunami and volcanic eruptions can strike at any time, sometimes without warning. They can be immensely disrupting, threatening property and lives. Knowing what to do during an emergency will help keep you and your loved ones safe.
Depending on the situation, you may need to take extra measures. Find out about specific hazards here:
During an emergency, some houses, streets, and neighbourhoods may not be safe to stay in and you may have to leave home in a hurry.
If you are asked to evacuate, the easiest place to go is to friends or whānau/family who live outside the area affected by the emergency. If that isn’t an option, you may be given specific instructions about where to go – for example, to an emergency evacuation centre or to higher ground.
Evacuation is scary, and it’s not a decision that will be taken lightly. You will not be asked to evacuate unless authorities believe your life may be in danger.
If you have to evacuate
Evacuate immediately if told to do so by authorities. They will not ask you to leave unless they think your life may be in danger. Self-evacuate if you feel unsafe.
Take your grab bag with you if possible, but do not travel into any evacuation zone to collect it if you do not have it with you.
If you don’t have a grab bag, evacuate with the following if possible:
- Cash and personal identification.
- Torch, radio, and water.
- A change of clothes and a sleeping bag or blankets for each household member.
- First aid kit, prescription medications and anything else you might need like dentures, extra eyeglasses, and hearing aid batteries.
- Car keys and house keys.
- USB phone charger.
Take your pets and other animals with you only if it will not delay you. Do not spend time looking for them and do not return to get them if you are not at home.
You should prepare to evacuate on foot or by bicycle if you are able to, especially in a local source tsunami event (Long OR Strong, Get Gone!) where there may only be a few minutes available to get to safety. Evacuating by vehicle can cause congestion and can delay emergency services and people with mobility issues from reaching safety.
If you need to drive, use travel routes specified by local authorities. Some areas may be impassable or dangerous, so avoid “shortcuts”. Do not drive through flood water. If you come upon a barrier, follow posted detour signs.
Preparing to evacuate
There may be times when authorities tell you to prepare to evacuate but you do not need to leave immediately. For example, you may be told to prepare to evacuate when an earthquake on the other side of the Pacific Ocean has generated a large tsunami but it is not expected to arrive in New Zealand for several hours.
Prepare to evacuate by following these steps:
- Put on protective, weather appropriate clothing that covers your arms and legs and sturdy footwear in case you have to move through debris (e.g. if there has been an earthquake).
- Put your grab bag by the door or in your vehicle if you are evacuating by vehicle.
- If you don’t have a grab bag, at least try to take the following:
- Cash and personal identification.
- Torch, radio, and water.
- A change of clothes and a sleeping bag or blankets for each household member.
- First aid kit, prescription medications and anything else you might need like dentures, extra eyeglasses, and hearing aid batteries.
- Car keys and house keys.
- USB phone charger.
- Leave mobile phones on and charged so you can receive Emergency Mobile Alerts.
- Check your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group’s website or social media channels and listen to the radio or TV for updates.
- Listen to local Civil Defence Emergency Management authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area. Self-evacuate if you feel unsafe.
Do not turn off mains gas unless you are advised to do so by local authorities. You will need gas for heating and cooking if you return home. If you turn mains gas off, a licensed professional is required to turn it back on, and it may take weeks for a professional to respond. Turn off the mains gas if you can smell it in your whare/home and cannot determine where it is originating.
If you have pets or other animals
Bring your pets indoors and maintain direct control of them as soon as possible.
Confine pets to one room. Pets may try to run if they feel threatened. Keeping them inside and in one room will allow you to find them quickly when you need to leave.
Get pet carrier boxes and leashes ready.
Take your pets with you when you evacuate – if it is not safe for you, it is not safe for them. Leaving them behind may endanger you, your pets, and emergency responders.
Consider an early evacuation of pets and other animals, especially if you have lots of animals, or large animals. Waiting to evacuate animals until the last minute can be fatal for them and dangerous for you.
If it is too dangerous for you to leave your current location, you may need to take shelter wherever you are. How and where to shelter in place depends on the emergency, so short-term in-place shelter is described in the sections dealing with specific hazards.
You may be asked to shelter in place at your wāhi mahi / workplace, at kura/school or another location. You should stay there either until you are asked to evacuate, or until you are told it is safe to leave.
Sometimes, emergencies make it unsafe for people to leave their homes. If you have been asked to shelter at home, you should stay there until you are asked to evacuate, or until local authorities say it is safe to leave.
- Turn off utilities if told to do so by authorities. Authorities may ask you to turn off water or electricity supply to prevent damage to your whare/home or within the community.
- Do not turn off mains gas unless you are explicitly advised to do so by local authorities. You will need it for heating and cooking. If you turn mains gas off, a licensed professional is required to turn it back on, and it may take weeks for a professional to respond.
- Turn off the mains gas if you can smell it in your whare/home and cannot determine where it is originating.
- Do not use candles for lighting if the power goes out. Candles cause fires and are quiet and easily forgotten. They can tip over with a gust of wind and during earthquake shaking.
- Unplug small appliances. Small appliances may be affected by electrical power surges. Unplugging them reduces potential damage.
Do not use outdoor gas appliances indoors
Do not use outdoor gas appliances such as patio heaters, camping cookers and barbecues indoors. These appliances do not have the safety systems as indoor heating appliances which will shut off the gas supply when oxygen levels are depleted and high levels of carbon monoxide are present.
Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas. Prolonged or high-level exposure can cause collapse, unconsciousness and even death. Breathing small amounts of carbon monoxide can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, tiredness and vomiting.
If you suspect you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, immediately move into fresh air and seek medical attention. If it can be done safely, turn off the appliance and ventilate the room or area.
Normal household services such as water supplies, waste disposal (including sewerage) and refrigeration may break down during emergencies, such as floods. This can pose a health risk.
Because food and water are easily contaminated during emergencies, you need to take extra care to avoid getting sick.
Feeding your baby safely during an emergency
Babies are at more risk of becoming dehydrated or getting an infection, so they need special care and attention in an emergency.
Emergencies may affect your ability to communicate by telephone, especially if electricity is cut off.
- If you have a fibre connection, your phone will not work if the power is off.
- If you have a copper connection, an analogue phone (that is, one with a cord) will work if the exchange or local cabinet is backed up by a generator.
- PABX or VOIP circuits will fail during a power outage unless they are backed up by batteries or generators.
If your landline phone is not working, you will not be able to use it to dial 111. The Commerce Commission 111 Contact Code details measures being taken to protect vulnerable customers who may not have access to 111 services in event of a power failure.
If you have a mobile phone, consider buying a portable power bank and keeping it in an easy-to-find place. Conserve your battery power by limiting texts and avoiding voice calls unless it is essential. Do not search for a signal if none is available. Turn your phone off overnight and switch off the vibrate function.