Community Response

Preparing for an emergency is everyone's responsibility. You and your community will be much better prepared to get through an emergency if your community has a plan to get through. Your neighbours and community are likely to be the first to help when disaster strikes, and your community may need to look after itself until help can arrive.

What is a community response plan?

This is a plan that the community response group writes and owns which describes how the community will be self sufficient for the first 72 hours of an emergency. It makes sure the community has access to basic safety needs, including: shelter, food, medical care and sanitation.

The plan helps to identify what resources the community has available, what the vulnerabilities of the community are, and what responsibilities individuals and groups will have during an emergency.

Who is involved in community response?

Anyone can be involved in community response or can form a community response group. The people that live in the community know it the best because they live and work in it.

Your local Emergency Management Officer is available to help your group plan for an emergency with expert advice and ideas, but community response is owned by the community so it is completely up to you how you plan your community's response.

Chat to us about joining or starting a community response group

Looking for your school's plan?

Schools are required to have their own plans. Contact your local school or search their websites for your child's school plans.

Search for schools in our district on the Ministry of Education website