It's important to know the different ways you can stay informed during an emergency. 

How to stay informed

It's important to know the different ways you can stay informed during an emergency. Contact your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group or council to find out what warning systems are in your community. 

Radio and television stations will broadcast civil defence information and advice. Get your personal support network to alert you to any warnings and keep you informed.  

Emergency Mobile Alert is a way of receiving information about emergencies in your area. If your life, health or property is in danger, Emergency Mobile Alerts can be sent to your mobile. You don't to sign up or download an app. 

For local updates, check your council’s website and social media. As well as your Civil Defence Emergency Management Group website and social media. 

National updates will be available on the National Emergency Management Agency's website. 

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. Get involved in your community and get to know your neighbours before an emergency happens. 

Install a warning system that is appropriate to your needs. For example, an alarm with flashing strobe lights to get your attention. Replace the batteries every 12 months.

Radio

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 to these stations:

Check with you Civil Defence Emergency Management Group to find out what local stations they recommend you should listen to during an emergency.

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Find emergency and disaster updates from the National Emergency Management Agency. For advice on preparing for disasters follow the @NZGetReady Twitter channel.

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Find official emergency information and advice on how to be better prepared for disasters in New Zealand. Find out and discuss how to prepare for an emergency, cope during an event, and recover quickly.

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Find your local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group.

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Find out more about the National Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency Mobile Alert

Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies. They are sent by authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts keep people safe and are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers.

The alerts are targeted to areas affected by serious hazards. They will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health or property, and, in some cases, for test purposes.

To get Emergency Mobile Alerts, you just need a phone capable of receiving them. The phone also needs to have cell reception and up-to-date software. You don’t have to download an app or subscribe to a service.

  1. Check if your phone is on the list of capable phones.
  2. Update your phone’s operating system software.

Please refer to your phone manual or contact your mobile operator if you need help updating your phone.

As Emergency Mobile Alert is about keeping you safe, you won’t be able to opt out of receiving Emergency Mobile Alerts.

We do not target specific phones, instead we broadcast to a targeted area that is at risk. For this reason, we are unable to exclude your specific phone.

Your phone may show optional settings used in other countries, but in New Zealand we use a special broadcast channel that is permanently on.

You can give us feedback about Emergency Mobile Alert through our feedback form. Information collected in this survey helps us make ongoing improvements to system.

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Give us feedback about Emergency Mobile Alert. Information collected in this survey is used to make ongoing improvements to the alerting platform.

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Emergency Mobile Alert is a way of receiving information about emergencies in your area. If your life, health or property is in danger, Emergency Mobile Alerts can be sent to your mobile.