(A family sits around the dinner table, passing food between them and chatting. The camera pans down the table to a girl at the end holding up a clipboard.)

Girl: Whakarongo! [Listen up!]

(The girl thumps down her clipboard and the family stop talking to listen. The family turn to look at her.)

Girl: Are we prepared for when a disaster strikes?

(The girl looks at her family and they look unsure.)

(Close up of the girl leaning over to her brother.)

Girl: If we were deep in the danger zone would you be ready?

(The brother shakes his head.)

(The girl paces at the end of the table.)

Girl: It doesn't take much but we do need a plan. Like who will pick us up from school if mum and dad can't?

(The dad shrugs.)

Dad: Uncle

[Music starts]

(Outside in the driveway, the girl and her uncle pulse to the music coming from the minivan behind them. They look at each other and nod.)

(Inside at the table, the girl checks off an item on her checklist.)

(Outside again with her uncle, the girl looks up as she realises something.)

[Music stops]

Girl: What about Mr. V from next door?

(The uncle points to the side and we pan over to see the family's neighbour walking down his driveway with his walker.)

[Music starts]

Uncle: 'Sup Mr. V

(The uncle and neighbour nod at each other.)

[Music stops]

(Back inside, the girl leans over her cousin.)

Girl: And what are you gonna do?

Cousin: I don't even live here.

[Music starts]

(The cousin leans away as the girl leans closer.)

(In a garage, the cousin stands by his two friends.)

Cousin: Hey guys, my cuz [cousin] says we need to make a plan.

[Music stops]

(The friends laugh at the cousin, but he clears his throat and the friends turn to see the girl in the doorway looking grumpy.)

[Music starts]

(The cousin and his friends smile and give the girl a thumbs up. A third friend appears and sits up from a weight bench to do the same.)

(Back inside, the girl paces at the end of the table.)

Girl: We've gotta look after each other.

(The girl points.)

Girl: Even Charles Barkley.

(A dog sits on the floor and tilts head with a whine.)

[Music stops]

(At the table, the mother taps the brother on the shoulder.)

[Music starts]

(All the family file out of the house past the girl. The brother is at the front with the dog in a baby carrier. The girl ticks her checklist as they file past.

Girl: Have your own prep talk so you and your whānau [family] know what to do in a disaster.

(The Civil Defence and New Zealand Government logos appear on the screen. As well as a clipboard that reads 'Have a prep talk getready.govt.nz'.)

Have a prep talk

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and often without warning. It is important to make emergency plans so you know what to do when an emergency happens.

Make a household emergency plan

A household emergency plan lets everyone in your household know what to do in an emergency and how to get ready. Having a plan helps make actual emergency situations less stressful.

Make a plan with your whānau to get through an emergency. Think about the things you need every day and work out what you would do if you didn't have them.

MAKE AN EMERGENCY PLAN ONLINE

Tailor your plan

Every household's plan will be different, because of where we live, who lives with us and who might need our help.

When you're making your household plan, remember to include everyone. Think about the requirements of disabled people, older people, babies, young children, pets and other animals.

FIND ADVICE ON TAILORING YOUR PLAN

Get your community ready

Help your friends, family and community get prepared for emergencies.

Make a community emergency plan so your community can help each other in an emergency. Talking with other people in your community is one of the best ways to prepare for emergencies.

MAKE A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN

Make a work emergency plan

In an emergency, you can be stuck at work, without transport home. Make a personal workplace emergency plan so you know who to contact at work and have a plan to get home safely.

Document

Have staff fill in a personal workplace emergency plan to plan for an emergency during work hours.

Ko e laini matutaki ki Loto
Construction worker talking to two people

Planning for emergencies makes good business sense. It helps keep you and your workers safe and minimises downtime.

Make a school emergency plan

Find out what your early childhood centre or school’s emergency plan is.

  • Find out where their safe location is so you know where you can pick your children up from after the “all-clear” is given.
  • Plan to collect your children by foot or bike, if possible. Routes to and from schools may be jammed. Telephone lines during an emergency may be overloaded.
  • Make sure the contact details your early childhood centre or school has are up to date. Give them a list of three people who can pick the kids up if you can’t get there.

Make a marae emergency plan

Make a marae emergency plan to help your marae be as prepared as possible for a natural disaster or emergency.

Ko e laini matutaki ki Fafo
Marae Emergency Preparedness Plan logo

The Marae Emergency Preparedness Plan helps marae be prepared for an emergency. It encourages whānau, hapū and iwi to think about the possible impacts of natural disasters.

Get your household ready

It’s up to you to make sure your whānau and the people you care about know what to do.