If you are stuck at home in an emergency

When an emergency happens it is best to stay in your own home:

• if you can
• if it is safe to do so.

Sometimes this could mean you will be at home with no:

• power / electricity
• water
• food
• medicine.

It is a good idea to think about what supplies you might need.

Supplies could be things like:

• a stock of bottled water for everyone in your house
• a cupboard stocked with food
• a torch with extra batteries
• a first aid kit.

First aid is when you give medical help to someone who is hurt so you can:

• save the life of that person
• stop them from getting worse.

If the emergency is very bad you may have to stay at home without a way to get supplies for at least 3 days.

If an emergency happens:

• do you have enough food and water supplies for everyone?
• do you / your whānau have all the medicine you need?
• do you have enough food and water for your pets / other animals?

It is a good idea to have your emergency supplies in 1 place so you can find them easily.

Some people like to put their emergency supplies together in a kit / bag.

It is important that everyone in the house knows where to find the emergency supplies.

If the power / electricity goes off you might have to find things in the dark.

Make sure everyone in the house knows where they can find:

• a torch
• spare batteries.

If the power / electricity goes off you should:

• eat the food from your fridge first

then

• eat the food from your freezer

then

• eat the food in your:
  • cupboard
  • emergency supplies.

It is a good idea to get to know your neighbours.

In an emergency:

• you might need support
• other people might need support.

In an emergency you should check in with other people such as:

• your neighbours
• older / disabled whānau
• anyone else who might need your support.

You should listen to the radio so you know what is happening.

It is a good idea to have a radio that is:

• powered by batteries

or

• solar powered which means the solar batteries are recharged by sunlight.

You should follow instructions from official sources in an emergency.

Official sources might be:

• your local council
• emergency services
• your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.

You can find information from official sources online at:

• their websites
• their social media pages like:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter.

You can find the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group for your local area at this website:

https://www.civildefence.govt.nz