It is up to you to make sure your whānau know what to do in an emergency and that you all have what you need to get through. Here are some easy pointers to help you get ready.
Understanding the impacts of an emergency can help you get through. Have a chat with your household and work out what you would do in these situations.
Being stuck at home may mean being without power and water or any way to get supplies for five days or more. Do you have enough food and water? What about whānau who need medication? Do you have enough food and water for your pets as well?
In an emergency, public transport may not run, and roads and neighbourhoods may be blocked off. If you can't take your normal route home, how will you get there? Who will you go with? Where will you meet if your street is a no-go zone?
Some houses, streets and neighbourhoods may not be safe to stay in or you may have to leave home in a hurry. If your street is evacuated, where will you go? What will you take? What about your pets? Do your neighbours need help?
What would you do if the power was out for days? How would you see, cook or keep warm? Power cuts could affect EFTPOS and ATM machines. Have some cash at home and enough supplies to see you through five days or more.
What would you do if the phone and internet lines go down? How will you keep in touch, arrange to meet or keep up with the news and weather alerts? In most emergencies, it is best to stay at home. Make your home your meeting place and have an alternative in case you can't get there.
In an emergency, you may be stuck at home for five days or more. Figure out what supplies you need and make a plan to work out what you need to get through.
You probably have most of the things you need already. You don't have to have them all in one place, but you might have to find them in a hurry and/or in the dark.
If you have special dietary needs, make sure you have enough to last five days at home, as well as some in your grab bag. If you have to evacuate, emergency shelters may not have the food that you need.
You and your neighbours can help each other by sharing supplies too. By looking after yourself and your household, you'll also be helping emergency services focus their limited resources on the people who need the most help.
Have grab bags ready for everyone in your family. A grab bag is a small bag with essential supplies.
Each bag should have:
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.
Plan ahead for what you will do if you are in your car when an emergency happens. A flood, snow storm or major traffic accident could leave you stranded in your vehicle for some time.
Keep essential emergency survival items in your car. If you are driving in extreme winter conditions, add:
Store a pair of walking shoes, a waterproof jacket, essential medicines, snack food, water, a phone charger lead and a torch in your car. Keep up to date with weather and road information when planning travel.
Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and often without warning. It is important to make emergency plans so you know what to do when an emergency happens.
A household emergency plan lets everyone in your household know what to do in an emergency and how to get ready. Having a plan helps make actual emergency situations less stressful.
Make a plan with your whānau to get through an emergency. Think about the things you need every day and work out what you would do if you didn't have them.
Make sure your home emergency plan also lines up with emergency plans for your work, school, and other places where you spend a lot of time.
Fill in the form below then print it out, stick it on the fridge and make sure everyone knows the plan. Or save it as a PDF and email it to your whānau.
Make sure you have considered all the needs of your household including:
Do you prefer to hand write your emergency plan? Download and print the PDF paper version of the Make a Plan template in English or Te Reo Māori.
English Household Preparedness Plan
Māori Household Preparedness Plan
Every household's plan will be different because of where we live, who lives with us and who might need our help. When you are making your household plan remember to include everyone. Think about the requirements of disabled people, older people, babies, young children, pets and other animals.
