NZ Civil Defence

23/10/2026

ShakeOut, sunshine and 33 enthusiastic tamariki - we couldn’t have asked for a better day in the Hawke's Bay 🤩

This year looked a little different for us - taking place the day before ShakeOut and without our usual livestream, we were able to enjoy a relaxed and fun-filled day with the staff and students of Pōrangahau School!

We kicked things off with an assembly, tested everyone’s preparedness knowledge with a ShakeOut quiz and prizes, then practised Drop, Cover and Hold and completed a tsunami hīkoi.

The afternoon was spent outside in the sunshine, taking part in a range of activities designed to make emergency preparedness practical, memorable and fun.

For a coastal community like Pōrangahau, practising where to go following a long or strong earthquake is an important part of being prepared. (You can check whether your home, workplace or school is in a tsunami evacuation zone using the national map).

One of the best parts of visiting a smaller school was being able to give every student their own Stan toy and some Get Ready goodies to take home 🐶

A huge thank you to Pōrangahau School for having us, and to the staff and students for getting behind ShakeOut!

21/10/2026

LIVE POST: NEMA ShakeOut 2026 🙌🏽

20/10/2026

It's ShakeOut Day! 🤩
For those who are wanting to take part, we've created our first ever COUNTDOWN TO SHAKEOUT video! Chuck it on just before 1:30 so we can all ShakeOut together 🫶
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiFA56kqm6w

It's not too late to sign-up! getready.govt.nz/sign-up

Massive shout out to the Emergency Management Committees and ShakeOut sponsors that helped us bring this to life - let's get ready to ShakeOut!

New Zealand ShakeOut is our national earthquake drill and tsunami h...

18/10/2026

IT'S SHAKEOUT WEEK!! 🤩🙂‍↕️

And there's still time to sign up... SHAKEOUT.GOVT.NZ

15/10/2026

Stan and Beaudy are leading by example and practicing Drop, Cover, Hold ahead of NZ ShakeOut 🐶 This week's Friday Floof is a reminder not to leave emergency preparedness to chance!
Know what to do before the shaking starts - sign up for ShakeOut at shakeout.govt.nz

15/10/2026

Update as at 7.00pm : The official magnitude has been reassessed by our scientific partners at Earth Sciences New Zealand to M5.7!

Read more within their social media post below ⬇️

Crikey, that was quite a shake! 🫨

The magnitude 5.7 earthquake northeast of Taumarunui was widely felt across central New Zealand, with more than 5000 Geonet felt reports coming in from across the central North Island and upper South Island.

If you felt the shaking, remember that Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take during an earthquake.

If the earthquake is Long or Strong, Get Gone. If you're near the coast and the shaking is long (more than a minute) or strong (makes it hard to stand up), move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as possible.

For more information about what to do before, during and after an earthquake, visit: getready.govt.nz/emergency/earthquakes

14/10/2026

🐾 WIN a pet first aid kit this NZ ShakeOut! 🐾

As part of NZ ShakeOut, SPCA New Zealand and NZ Civil Defence are giving away a couple of pet first aid kits to help two lucky animal lovers get prepared!

To enter:
❤️ Follow both NZ Civil Defence and SPCA New Zealand
👥 Tag a friend
🐶 Comment your pet’s name (or your favourite animal if you don’t have a pet)

1 comment = 1 entry 💬 More tags = more entries!

Make sure you’re signed up for NZ ShakeOut to be eligible! ✅

ShakeOut is a chance to practise Drop, Cover and Hold and check that your emergency plan includes every member of your household, including your pets!

🔗 Sign up for ShakeOut: getready.govt.nz/shakeout

Good luck!

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T&Cs: Entries close 31 October. Winners will be selected on Monday 2 November. **Please be aware of scam/bot accounts and comments**. Winners will be contacted from an official account only facebook.com/NZCivilDefence or instagram.com/nemagovtnz. We will never ask you for money or credit card details, ask you to pay to receive your prize, or direct you to another page or website to claim your prize. Do not click any links in the comments or give over any personal details. Please report and ignore any scam accounts and comments. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram.

13/10/2026

Belonging matters, especially when times are tough 💛

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re reminded how small moments of connection can strengthen our wellbeing and our communities.

Emergencies can be overwhelming. It’s normal to feel upset, stressed or physically drained during and after an emergency, and everyone’s recovery experience will be different. Staying connected with your whānau, friends, neighbours and community can help you support one another through the days, weeks and months that follow.

Take a moment this week to:
💬 Check in with someone you care about
☕ Make time for a kōrero
🏘️ Get to know your neighbours
🤝 Ask for help, or offer it, when it’s needed

Head to our Get Ready website for a range of information and resources to support your mental health: getready.govt.nz/mental-wellbeing

Kia kaha whānau 🫂

09/10/2026

*** Update as at 7:40AM
There is NO TSUNAMI THREAT to New Zealand following the M7.6 Panama earthquake. The National Emergency Management Agency, local civil defence authorities and scientific advisors are closely monitoring the situation. Detailed safety advice will come from local authorities and emergency services in the area. Act on it promptly.

People in the affected area should expect aftershocks and remember to drop, cover, and hold.

Visit www.civildefence.govt.nz for the most up to date information

The Emergency Management Act 2026 creates the legal framework for emergency management in New Zealand. It replaced the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (CDEM Act).

07/10/2026

🚨 Tag your ShakeOut buddy and WIN! 🚨
NZ ShakeOut is 2 weeks away, so NZ Civil Defence and Neighbourhood Support New Zealand are giving away a preparedness prize pack full of useful items to help one lucky winner get ready for an emergency!

To enter:
👉 Like this post
👉 Tag someone you'd check on in an emergency
👉 BONUS ENTRY: Comment something you should have in your emergency grab-bag
💬 1 comment = 1 entry 💬 More tags = more entries

*Must be registered for NZ ShakeOut to be eligible to win.*

Register here: shakeout.govt.nz/sign-up/
Sign up for Neighbourhood Support here: neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz/join-now

The more people who take part, the more prepared our communities will be.
Let's see how many people we can get practicing what to do in an earthquake or tsunami this October! 🙌

Good luck! 🍀

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T&Cs: Entries close 31 October. 1 winner will be selected on Monday 2 November. **Please be aware of scam/bot accounts and comments** The winner will be contacted from an official account only facebook.com/NZCivilDefence or instagram.com/nemagovtnz instagram.com/neighbourhoodsupportnz or facebook.com/neighbourhoodsupportnz ). We will never ask you for money or credit card details, ask you to pay to receive your prize, or direct you to another page or website to claim your prize. Do not click any links in the comments or give over any personal details. Please report and ignore any scam accounts and comments. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram.