Otago Civil Defence and Emergency Management

15/06/2026

Win a 4 person grab bag! Complete the 2026 Community Resilience Survey before 29 June and go in the draw! https://feedback.askyourteam.com/RzVtiLH

15/06/2026

Kia ora, everyone - thank you for being part of the successful test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system on Sunday.

➡️ If you haven't already, let the team at NZ Civil Defence know if you received the test and give feedback here: https://www.research.net/r/EMA-feedback

Waitaki Valley Community Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council Upper Clutha Community Notices Otago Rural Support Trust Otago Regional Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Ōmārama Gazette Southern Corridor Resilience Group South Dunedin Community Network Taieri Network Wānaka Community Resilience Group

14/06/2026

How prepared is your household for an emergency?

Emergency Management Otago has launched the 2026 Community Resilience Survey and we’d love your help.

The short survey takes just 5-10 minutes and will help us better understand how prepared Otago communities are for emergencies such as flooding, earthquakes, snow and storms.

Your feedback will help shape future preparedness activities, resources and investment across the region.

✅ Quick and easy to complete
✅ Confidential responses
✅ Helps strengthen community resilience across Otago

🎁 Plus - everyone who completes the survey can go in the draw to win a 4 person grab bag! We have one for each District to give away!

You can complete the survey here https://feedback.askyourteam.com/RzVtiLH

Prepared communities recover faster and cope better during emergencies and every response helps build a clearer picture of resilience across Otago.

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Otago Regional Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Otago Rural Support Trust Ōmārama Gazette Palmerston Otago

Image Description: Photo of a grab bag with assorted emergency items including a torch, first aid kit and gloves.

11/06/2026

Hi folks, a friendly reminder that the Nationwide Emergency Mobile Alert test is this Sunday 14 June between 6-7pm.

If you interested in understanding who can send an emergency mobile alert and when, have a look at the great explanation below from our friends at NZ Civil Defence 👇

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Otago Regional Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council

08/06/2026

📱Ahead of the Nationwide Emergency Mobile Alert test this Sunday, our friends at NZ Civil Defence have answered some of your questions about how they work. 👇

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Otago Regional Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council

01/06/2026

⚠️The annual test of the Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system will be sent on Sunday 14 June between 6pm-7pm to all capable phones and other SIM-connected devices ⚠️

See all the details 👇

Find out more about Emergency Mobile Alerts at https://getready.govt.nz/ema

Otago Regional Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Central Otago District Council Waitaki District Council Clutha District Council Dunedin City Council Otago Rural Support Trust

30/05/2026

Hi folks, MetService have issued a watch and a warning for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers respectively.

🟠Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Period: 37hrs from 6am Sun, 31 May - 7pm Mon, 1 Jun
Area: Headwaters of the Canterbury Lakes and Rivers
Forecast: Expect 400 to 500 mm of rain about the Divide, and 150 to 250 mm of rain within 15 km east of the Divide. Peak rates 20 to 25 mm/h. Thunderstorms possible. Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

🟡Heavy Rain Watch- Yellow
Period: 12hrs from 6am - 6pm Sun, 31 May
Area: Headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria within 15 km east of the Divide. Thunderstorms possible. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.

Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.

Keep an eye of MetService updates here: https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home

You can find State Highway information here: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions

Waitaki District Council Otago Regional Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Central Otago District Council Ōmārama Gazette

Image description: Map of the South Island highlighting areas under orange warnings or yellow watches.

27/05/2026

➕⚡ For households that rely on electricity for medical care, being prepared is essential. Our friends at Aurora Energy have some excellent information to help you plan for outages - see below👇

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Otago Rural Support Trust Otago Regional Council

➕⚡ For households that rely on electricity for medical care, being prepared is essential.

Make sure you have an emergency plan ready for both planned and unplanned outages, and talk with your health practitioner about the right plan for you. 📋

👉 Find out more on our website: https://www.auroraenergy.co.nz/power-outages/medically-dependent-customers

21/05/2026

🎉Around 300 people from across Otago took part in Exercise Whakarite Kia Rite – Prepare to be Ready on Wednesday, testing how the region would respond to a severe snowstorm impacting multiple districts. ❄️

The exercise simulated widespread disruption including road closures, isolated communities, power outages, telecommunications failures and increasing welfare needs across the region.

Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) and the Group Emergency Coordination Centre (GECC) were activated throughout the day, with councils, emergency services, lifeline utilities and partner agencies working together to coordinate the response, share information and test systems under pressure.

Exercises like this are an important part of making sure Otago is prepared for large-scale emergencies and help identify strengths, lessons and opportunities for improvement before a real event occurs.

This was the first Tier 2 exercise held in Otago since 2012!

A huge thank you to everyone involved for the teamwork and effort that went into making the exercise a success 👏

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Otago Regional Council Otago Rural Support Trust

Image description: Teams from Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes District Councils working across their Emergency Operations Centres with the Group Emergency Coordination Centre supporting the regional effort.

13/05/2026

📢The Get Ready Schools Challenge is back for 2026!

Our friends at NZ Civil Defence have worked with the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, Fire and Emergency NZ, New Zealand Police, Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance to create eight new fun and engaging activities to help our tamariki be prepared:
⬇️ Learn and practise how to Drop, Cover and Hold.
📱 Know their important phone numbers and addresses.
🔎 Spot the difference to find items that have been fixed and fastened for an earthquake.
📖 Learn what different organisations do in an emergency.
✏️ Complete a New Zealand hazards word search.
🎨 Draw a hazard that could impact where they live.
🧯 Create a home fire escape plan.
🧭 Solve a maze to get out of a tsunami evacuation zone.

Plus, your child could win an iPad for taking part - but only if their school signs up at https://getready.govt.nz/challenge

Waitaki Valley Community Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Dunedin Multicultural Council Brighton Gala Day - Dunedin Clutha District Council Upper Clutha Community Notices Otago Rural Support Trust Otago Regional Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council