October 10-16 is Get Ready Week, this year’s theme is Prepared Kids.

We know that when kids are involved in preparing for emergencies and learning about natural hazards, they encourage their families to be more prepared and play a more active role in responding to and recovering from emergencies.

Get Ready Week is held every year to mark the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (13 October). It’s a chance for all of us to make sure we are prepared for emergencies.

Take some time this week to be more prepared at home and at work:

• Talk to your kids in an honest, but not scary, way about what might happen in an emergency, what you can do to keep safe, and what your plan is for if you can’t get home. The more involved they are, the less scared they will be if an emergency does happen.
• Make a list of the people who could help you and those who might need your help in an emergency, write their numbers down in case
• Contact your school or daycare and find out what their emergency plans are. Where will they go if they are evacuated? Who will look after the kids until you get there? Give the school or day care a list of three people who can pick the kids up if you can’t get there.
• Make a list of supplies you might need at home and in your car – have a getaway bag for everyone, with warm clothes, snack food, water, ID, radio, torch and batteries.
• Visit www.happens.nz to work through an emergency plan with your family

To find out more about Get Ready Week, visit www.civildefence.govt.nz or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..