The Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the National Emergency Management Agency have worked together to create this series of videos, so our communities know what to do to prepare for different disasters and emergencies, and how to respond when they happen.

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. This could include earthquakes, floods, storms, tsunami, fires, and volcanic activity.

When an emergency happens, Civil Defence and emergency services will be busy helping the people who need them most so it’s important that you have a plan to look after yourself and your family.

This video explains what you’ll need in an emergency.

You may be stuck at home with no power, water, or access to food for several days in an emergency. Or, you might not be able to get home, so make sure you have the supplies you need to get through in places you spend a lot of time such as work or school.

You should have food you don’t have to cook. Plan to eat fridge and freezer food first as this will be the safest time to eat it. And if you’re able, share supplies with your neighbours. You might be able to work together to get through. If you have special dietary needs, make sure you have enough food to last three days at home. If you need to evacuate, emergency shelters may not have the food that you need so be prepared to take it with you.

You’ll need at least nine litres of water for every person which will last for three days or more. This will be enough for drinking and basic hygiene.

You’ll also need a torch with spare batteries and a solar or battery powered radio, a spare supply of medicines, first-aid kit, warm clothing, and food for your pets. Ensure you also have work gloves, a properly fitted P2 or N95 mask, toilet paper & large plastic buckets for an emergency toilet. You don’t have to have everything in one place, but you may need to find it in the dark so make sure it’s easy to find and access.

As well as these essential supplies, make sure you also have a grab bag at places you most often spend time like home, your car or work. A grab bag is a small bag with essential supplies. In a grab bag you should have walking shoes, warm clothes, a raincoat, a hat, water, and snack food. Remember this for babies and pets too. Your grab bag should also contain hand sanitiser, a portable phone charger, cash, and copies of important documents along with copies of photo ID. Finally, your grab bag needs to have any medication you might need and a first aid kit, a mask or face covering, and a torch & radio both with spare batteries.

If you need to drive in extreme conditions, you may want to have a brush and shovel, tire chains, windshield scrapers, and warm clothing in your car.

For more information about preparing for and responding to emergencies, go to www.getready.govt.nz

Remember, if you need to contact Government services in an emergency and need language support, you can request an interpreter.