Media Release Archive

Getting to know your neighbours and your community are the major themes for this year’s Get Ready Week which started today (23 September) and runs to 29 September, says John Hamilton, Director Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

Research released today shows the Get Ready Get Thru emergency preparedness campaign is proving highly successful.

It is frightening to stay in a building immediately after an earthquake but it is much safer than immediately going outside. The Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said it is not like a fire. You do not have to evacuate a building straight away unless it is showing obvious signs of distress.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management has approved funding for 17 local government projects that will improve local and regional civil defence emergency management.

An initial trial has shown that emergency composting toilets might be an alternative to port-a-loos and chemical toilets if sewerage lines are damaged or broken.

Additional information for Oklahoma City tornado story

I would like to thank media organisations for your support yesterday in advising New Zealand of the potential risk we faced after the Santa Cruz earthquake and the tsunami that hit the Solomon Islands.

Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group manager, Graeme MacDonald, returned last night from a two-week United Nations deployment in the typhoon ravaged Philippines.

New Zealander Graeme MacDonald is one of the seven-strong United Nations team deployed in the Philippines ahead of Tropical Cyclone Bopha (known in the Philippines as Super typhoon Pablo).

The independent Review of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Response to the 22 February Christchurch Earthquake was today released by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.