Stay Storm Safe
Get your household ready for an emergency - Whakaritea tō kāinga mō te ohotata
Important Contacts
Civil Defence Northland (Facebook)
Check for road closures and delays before you travel
What can we do to get ready?
- We have enough warning and time to prepare ourselves for this storm.
- Make sure you have plenty of food and water to get through the next 7 days. If you are in an area that often sees flooding, then prepare yourself for this possibility.
- Check drains, gutters and ditches to make sure they are clear of debris. Move stock to higher ground.
- Tie down or remove any loose items around your property. Trampolines, tarpaulins, outdoor furniture etc are the biggest risk items.
- If you have trees that are old or at risk of breaking in strong winds, move vehicles and boats away from them, and prune any loose or cracked branches if possible.
- Make sure you have medicines if needed, and a backup power supply if you are reliant on power for medical devices. Remember to have spare batteries, torches, a radio and some way of cooking if we lose power for a while.
At home
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.
- Water for three days or more — make sure you have at least nine litres of water for every person. This will be enough for drinking and basic hygiene.
- Long-lasting food that doesn’t need cooking (unless you have a camping stove or gas barbecue) and food for babies and pets.
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Make sure you have phone and device battery packs fully charge and have a car charger for your devices to ensure you can keep in touch and keep informed. Plan for not having power supply for a number of days.
- Toilet paper and large plastic buckets for an emergency toilet.
- Work gloves and a properly fitted P2 or N95 mask.
If you have special dietary needs, make sure you have enough to last three days at home and in your grab bag. If you have to evacuate, emergency shelters may not have the food that you need.
Don't forget that 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.
Grab bag
A grab bag is a small bag with essential supplies. Have one ready for everyone in your family.
Each bag should have:
- Walking shoes, warm clothes, raincoat and hat
- Water and snack food (remember babies and pets too)
- Hand sanitiser
- Portable phone charger
- Cash
- Copies of important documents and photo ID
- Supplies for any special dietary needs.
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.
Reduce the impacts of floods and be prepared
Find out from your local council if your home or business is at risk from flooding. They may have resources and information on how to reduce potential flood damage. They can also advise you about:
- How they’ll alert you if you need to evacuate - ask about their evacuation plans and local public alerting systems
- What to do with your pets and livestock if you have to evacuate
- How you can reduce the risk of future flooding to your home or business.
Review your insurance regularly. Having insurance cover for your home and contents is important to help you get back on your feet if you suffer damage in a disaster.
Work out what supplies you might need and make a plan together.
Practise your emergency plan and your evacuation route to higher ground.
Take measures to reduce potential flood damage and make sure your insurance policy covers you for flood damage.
What to do during a flood
Put safety first. Don’t take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water.
Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
Stay out of flood water
Never try to walk, swim or drive through flood water. Many flood fatalities are caused by people attempting to drive through water.
Always assume that flood water is contaminated with farm run-off, chemicals and sewage. Contaminated flood water can make you sick. Make sure you wash your hands, clothes and property after contact with flood waters.
How much water to store?
Keep at least a three-day supply of water. You'll need at least three litres of drinking water per person per day (at least nine litres per person for the three days). This equates to four 2.25 litre soft-drink bottles. This will be enough for drinking and basic hygiene.
You should store more if you can. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double the amount required.
Children, nursing mothers and ill people will also need more.
Be sure to include drinking and clean-up water for your pets. The amount needed will depend on their sizes and the conditions. Remember that pets often drink more water than usual when under stress.
You will need more water if you want to wash, cook or clean with water, or if the emergency is long.
Some parts of New Zealand could be without water for longer than three days during an emergency. Your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group can recommend how much you should store.
If the power goes out…
If the power goes out, a solar or battery-powered radio (or your car radio) can help you keep up to date with the latest news. In an emergency, tune in to these stations:
Know your neighbours
Get to know your neighbours. In an emergency, you’ll be able to help each other while civil defence and emergency services are busy helping people who need them most.
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