Readiness and Response

The Agency has responsibility for maintaining the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan, outlining responsibilities for readiness, response and recovery tasks and procedures to be used during and after an emergency.

As part of those responsibilities we also maintain a national warning system, a 24-hour emergency communications system and an alternate communications network throughout the regions of New Zealand. The National Crisis Management Centre is equipped to monitor local or regional events and manage events of national significance.

National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan

The National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan outlines the responsibilities for readiness, response and recovery tasks and procedures to be used during and after an emergency. These are also incorporated in the Guide to the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan.

National Warning System

Under the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan, warnings shall be issued by the Director of Emergency Management for all or part of New Zealand in respect of hazards that might lead to or worsen a civil defence emergency.

National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC)

Declaring a State of Emergency

A state of local emergency can be declared when an emergency (as defined in the CDEM Act 2002) has occurred or may occur and provides powers to the CDEM Group. This factsheet explains why declarations of states of local emergency should be made, who should make them and how they should be made. It also explains and clarifies some of the issues involved in declaring a state of local emergency. This factsheet replaces the Declarations Director's Guideline [DGL 13/12]. The quick guide includes quick guidance for declaring a state of local emergency including key tests and considerations.

Exercise Design

The general approach to exercise writing we have employed for activities such as Exercise Capital Quake (November 2006) is outlined in DGL 10/09 CDEM Exercises.