Civil Defence & Emergency Management
Important Information
Please refer to the Emergency Management Otago website for our civil defence information.
In an emergency you can contact Clutha District Civil Defence on 0800 801 350 or 03 419 0200.
To view the Tsunami Evacuation Zones for coastal Otago click here:
Community Response Plans
Community Response Plans outline what specific communities should do in a civil defence emergency or what action to take in advance of an emergency to prevent potentially devastating effects.
When an emergency occurs, these plans will be activated by the community. Other agencies will respond to the event by activating their own plans and coordinating their activities to manage the impact on the community.
Community plans are being worked on for various communities in the Clutha District. The completed plans are available for download here. Residents wanting to know more about community plans can contact our Emergency Management Officer on 03 419 0200 or 0800 801 350.
Otago Gets Ready
Emergency Management Otago is encouraging residents across the Clutha District to sign up to Otago Gets Ready, a two-way communication tool which helps people better prepare for emergencies and be more informed, co-ordinated and resilient when they occur.
Given the sheer size of the Clutha District it was not always possible for Civil Defence to be everywhere and anywhere during an emergency, particularly in some of the more remote areas throughout Clutha.
Otago Gets Ready will help connect people in the Clutha townships and assist people to look after each other by sharing resources and supporting those who are more vulnerable during emergencies.
Gets Ready provides a channel for residents to pass on-the-ground intelligence back to the Emergency Operations Centre via their Community Response Groups. This helps Civil Defence co-ordinate a targeted response and get information and help to where it’s most needed, quickly and effectively.
The Gets Ready email and text alert system allows Civil Defence to target and send localised information to residents about situations that directly affect them, from small-scale events (heavy snow and boil water notices) to major emergencies like floods, severe weather events, earthquakes and tsunamis warnings.
Clutha people liked to help out during an emergency and this tool allowed Civil Defence staff to tap into their valuable skills and resources if they choose to register them in Gets Ready. They can also register any needs and vulnerabilities they have.
- Do you have skills, resources or aid you can offer others in an emergency like first aid training, a 4WD, generator or language skills?
- Do you have whānau who may need extra assistance in an emergency?
All of this valuable intelligence is vital for effective response planning. For example, we will be able to identify first aid-trained people in an area and ask them to check on an elderly neighbour with mobility or health issues and let us know what help is needed. Or link someone up to another community member who speaks their language and can help translate instructions. Or we may call people listed as having 4WD vehicles to help transport people or resources.
The information collected was private and would only ever be used in and Emergency situation.
The Gets Ready system does not supersede the National Emergency Alerts which are pushed through cell towers, or individual Council alerts, rather it supplements them by providing more detailed, localised information through additional channels.
To register for Gets Ready, follow the quick and easy three step process:
- Either scan the Otago Gets Ready QR code or go to www.getsready.net to log your contact details.
- Fill out the Resources, Skills and Needs section with any relevant details – you can choose to share as much or as little information as you wish.
- Once you receive the activation email (check your Junk Mail if it doesn’t come through within a few minutes) and click on the link to activate your profile. All information is held privately and securely and is only accessible to authorised Civil Defence staff.
Fire Information
If there's a property in your neighbourhood that you believe is a health or safety hazard due to an unkempt section, you might first try talking to the property owner.
If this does not resolve the problem, contact Council on 0800 801 350 to report a concern that does not present a fire risk, such hoarding and other nuisance issues including vermin control.
If your concern is a fire risk, you can let Fire and Emergency New Zealand know about your concern by completing the online form available at Fire Hazard Assessment Request or calling 0800 336 942. Please note that Fire and Emergency is only able to take action to deal with genuine fire hazards, and not where the property is just unsightly or presents a health hazard.
Fire Permits
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is responsible for fire permitting within the Clutha district, for all permitting requirements go to www.checkitsalright.nz or contact Otago District on 0800 673 473.
