Civil Defence Emergency Management
Waitakere City Council is responsible for maintaining a civil defence readiness, response and recovery organisation to guard against the possible affects of a major natural (or man made)
disaster.
 |
|
Waitakere City Public Alert
Tsunami
Siren System now operational.
For further details click on the image |
|
|
What is Civil Defence Emergency Management?
Civil Defence Emergency Management is:
 |
The co-ordination of a wide range of groups and agencies, before, during and after an emergency to: |
|
|
Help prevent loss of life, |
|
Help the injured and relieve distress, |
|
Help the community to recover from the emergency. |
|
The community being prepared to survive in their homes for up to three days without assistance, other than from the people in their neighbourhood. |
|
People helping people. |
Civil Defence usually becomes involved in an emergency when it is likely that evacuation of large numbers of people from their homes or places of assembly (work, school etc) is required, and/or massive disruption to the local infrastructure (roads, power, water, sewers etc) has occurred.
Legislation
The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 determines Waitakere City Councils responsibilities for Civil Defence. Under this legislation Waitakere City Council is responsible for planning for, and responding to, a major emergency within the city.
This legislation also requires the Council to join a regional Civil Defence Emergency Management Group. This group has representatives from all the Councils in the region as well as the Police, Fire and Health services. This group must plan and prepare together to respond to an emergency that would affect the whole of the Auckland region.
Find more information on the regional Civil Defence Emergency Management
Group.
|
An emergency is defined as any situation, that is too big for the Police, Fire and Ambulance services to manage, causes or may cause loss of life, injury, illness, distress or in any way endangers the safety of the public or property.
|
Find out what could cause an emergency in Waitakere City.
If at any time you would like to speak to someone in Civil Defence about the information presented here, or you would like a speaker to come and talk to a group, please don't hesitate to
contact us.
What could cause an emergency?
The Auckland region as well as Waitakere City is at risk from a number of natural and man-made
hazards. Many of these hazards have the potential to cause loss of life or injury. Other possible effects
are:
- damage to homes and buildings,
- significant economic loss, and
- psychological stress.
The main hazards that could impact Waitakere City are:
- Cyclonic storm
- Major fire
- Flooding
- Landslips
- Hazardous substances spill
- Infrastructure failure (loss of key utilities such as power, water and
telecommunications)
Other hazards that could also impact the City are:
- Earthquake
- Volcanic eruption
- Tsunami
- Tornado
|
An example of localised flooding
(Photo Source: FEMA)
A volcanic eruption similar to that produced by the
Auckland Volcanic Field (Photo Source: FEMA)
|
Hazards in the Auckland region
Auckland Regional Council
Hazards throughout New Zealand
Natural hazards net
Meteorological Service
(Severe weather forecasts)
Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
(Satellite imagery of New Zealand cloud cover)
 Concerned
about landslips?
If you notice a slip occurring on your property or that
of a neighbour please
contact us.
Other handy numbers include:
- Civil Defence 0800 222 200
- Earthquake Commission 0800 DAMAGE
- Victim Support 0800 VICTIM
- Ring your insurance company
Note: You will need to have 
Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed on your computer in order to view and print this document. For
help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful
Tips.
Landslips flyer (Size 117K)
What could happen in an emergency?
An emergency could cause some or all of the following:
- loss of power
- loss of telecommunications (phones, cell phones)
- loss of water supply
- loss of sewerage
- inability to drive on the roads (due to damage, blockage or loss of petrol supplies)
- businesses and shops being unable to open
- loss of income
- inability to go outside and being confined to a house or business premises
- evacuation of homes, schools and businesses
- damage to, or loss of, property
- injury or death
- disruption of normal routines
- damage to the environment
| During an emergency you may be required to stay indoors or to evacuate your home.
Please listen to your radio for information and advice. |
How can I prepare for an Emergency?
 In an emergency you may have to look after yourselves without any outside assistance for up to three days. This means that you will need to make sure you have enough food, water and supplies in your home to last for this period.
Below is a suggested list of supplies/items for your emergency survival kit:
- Bottled water - 3 litres per person per day
(view bottling tips from Hutt City Council
for bottling your own)
- Food " at least 3 days supply
- Important family documents (wills, insurance forms, passports)
- Warm clothing, raincoats and sturdy shoes
- Medication
- Baby supplies (if required)
- Hygiene needs (soap, wet wipes, toilet paper)
- First aid kit
- Torch and spare batteries
- Battery operated radio and spare batteries
- Alternative cooking source such as a gas camp stove or barbeque
- Can opener
- Disinfectant for cleaning
- Blankets
- Plastic bags
- Pet food
- Bucket
Note: You will need to have
Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed on your computer in order to view and print this document. For
help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful
Tips.
An
Emergency Plan Could Save Your Life (Size 615K)
This booklet outlines the key things you can do to better
prepare you and your family in the event of a disaster.
For more information on preparing a home emergency plan
visit:
How to deal with stress during and
after an emergency?
In emergencies, people can use up more motional energy
than they realise. They put themselves into a survival state
to deal with problems and cope with fears, frustrations and
other feelings. The body's natural way of working outside
the normal comfort zone in this way is called a 'state of
stress'. It means people can:
- focus on the important things
- concentrate and work hard for long periods
- put aside feelings in order to do what has to be
done
- carry lots of details in their mind
- put their own needs aside and not feel hunger or
fatigue while others are in need
- think clearly and quickly
- keep a step ahead of what is happening.
Being in a 'state of stress' uses a great deal of energy.
People can usually keep going for as long as they need to
but eventually they start to feel the effects of stress.
They cannot maintain their energy level and come off the
'high' they have been on. It is at this time that people may
start to display stress symptoms. The longer the emergency
lasts, the stronger the symptoms are likely to be. Often
they start while the emergency is on, but may be worse after
it is over. This is the rebound to the extra efforts that
have been made during the crisis. Stress is normal and
natural, but needs to be understood so it does not cause
further problems.
Normal stress symptoms
Thinking
- trouble thinking clearly, planning, making decisions
- can't concentrate or remember details, low attention
span
- can't stop thinking about the issues all the time
- keep thinking about bad times in the past
- not speaking clearly, slurring words, forgetting
names.
Physical
- bodily tension, stress and tightness in muscles
- weak feelings, tiredness, loss of energy and
enthusiasm
- headaches, trembling, sweating, nausea, aches and
pains
- lack of appetite, increased desire for stimulants,
sugar, alcohol, tobacco or coffee
- feeling tired but cannot sleep, disturbed sleep,
dreams and nightmares.
Feelings
- feel detached from things, don't care any more
- irritable, bad tempered, impatient and restless,
unable to relax or keep still
- feeling overwhelmed, everything seems too hard or
difficult
- tearful for no reason
- easily upset or hurt; oversensitive to what others
do and say
- insecure; wanting to stay in familiar places with
routines
- feeling very emotional; experience waves of anger or
worry that are not reasonable.
Relationships
- feel others are to blame for stress. Tendency to get
things all out of proportion
- can't feel happiness, enjoyment or affection for
loved ones
- moody and gloomy, feeling sad and hopeless as though
the emergency will never end
- changed relationships with those close to you
- don't want to be with family of friends oral ways
need them around
- have to talk about the emergency all the time
- feel others don't understand or don't seem to care.
Cumulative stress
The same effects can occur if the emergency is not
dramatic, but a series of smaller problems that go on for a
long time. If it is not possible to unwind and relax between
the problems stress builds up.
The stress cycle
If stress has been ongoing, a pattern of stress may form. As
a result, stress reactions cause more problems and this
causes more stress. This is called the stress cycle. Once
established, stress can become a lifestyle. Long term stress
will undermine health and may cause illnesses. Getting over
stress means breaking the stress cycle.
Breaking the stress cycle
Step 1. Recognise you are stressed
People often don't recognise their own stress because they
are too focused on the problems. Listen to others who may
see you more clearly than you see yourself.
Step 2. Get to know your stress cycle
- Try to see how the stress symptoms cause more stress and
put you in the stress cycle.
- Check your routines and life style to see where you can
reduce the stress. Where possible stop doing things that
keep stress high.
Step 3. Make a decision to break the stress cycle
Although there are lots of things about your life you cannot
change there a real ways some that you can; but you have to
decide to do it.
Step 4. Reduce stress activities
- Be careful of accidents; concentration and judgement may
be impaired under stress
- Try to be organised and efficient so you have some time to
yourself.
Step 5. Increase relaxation and positive activities.
Build activities into the daily routine which break the
stress cycle and give you a reward or good feeling, even if
only a small one. Put a little effort in to enjoying
yourself.
Looking after yourself
There are plenty of things that anyone can do which will
help to break the stress cycle and reduce tension. Many
simple pleasures will make a big difference to stress.
Enjoyment is the best antidote to stress.
Physical
- Do regular rhythmic physical exercise such as walking,
swimming, cycling
- Make an effort to reduce or
- At least not to increase your intake of stimulants such as
alcohol, tobacco and sugar as they keep the stress cycle
going
- Eat regular, well balanced meals even if they are small.
Relationships
- Keep regular contact with people you like to be with
- Ask for help when you need it, many people enjoy giving
help
- Make time to be with your family or friends
- Talk to people you trust about yourself and what is
happening so you can get it into perspective.
Relaxation
- Do regular relaxation exercises such as deep breathing,
listening to quiet music, meditation
- Do something about bodily tension such as massage or
exercises
- Rest regularly, even if you can only do it for a short
time
- Try to find something that will make you laugh sometimes.
Attitudes
- Accept that it will take time to get out of the stress cycle
and keep trying.
Where to seek assistance
If you feel unable to change your stress level or if you are
having distressing symptoms, you may need someone to help
you workout what to do to improve things. Help and more
information maybe obtained from your general practitioner,
local community health centre, local community mental health
service or Victim Support.
To find out more call 0800 VICTIM (0800 842 846), email
Victim Support on victim@xtra.co.nz, or call your local
police station and ask for Victim Support to be paged.
|
