Takatū Ana Te Kāinga Home Ready

A simple plan helps everyone know what to do if an emergency happens.

Think about everyday essentials like power, water, medication, transport, and food, and what you would do if they were not available.

Make sure your plan includes everyone in your household, including disabled people, older people, babies and young children, pets, and other animals.

Get started

Download these templates to create a plan with your whānau:

English Household Preparedness Plan

Te Reo Māori Household Preparedness Plan

Emergency Kit Shopping List

Talk through the details so everyone understands their role and what to do:

• Meeting points
  Decide where you will meet during and after an emergency. Consider what happens if people are at work or school, or if roads are blocked.
• Plan storage
  Keep your plan somewhere safe and easy to find. Assign someone to keep it up to date.
• Pets and livestock
  Plan how you will care for animals during an emergency.
• Utilities
  Know how and when to turn off water, electricity, and gas.
• Staying informed
  Identify trusted information sources, such as local radio stations or official websites.
• Immediate danger
  If life or property is at risk, call 111.
• Special needs
  Consider anyone with disabilities, health conditions, or other specific requirements. Find helpful advice to support your preparation:

Advice for disabled people

Being prepared to stay at home without services for several days is important.

Water

• Store enough water for at least three days (nine litres per person).
• This covers drinking and basic hygiene.
• Don’t forget water for pets.

Food

• Choose long-lasting food that does not require cooking, unless you have a camping stove or BBQ.
• Include food for babies, pets, and special dietary needs.
• Build your supply gradually and rotate food using a first-in, first-out system.

Other items

• Emergency toilet supplies (large bucket with lid or heavy-duty rubbish bags, toilet paper, disinfectant)
• Dust masks (P2 or N95) and work gloves
• Torch and spare batteries
• Solar- or battery-powered radio (or car radio)
• USB chargers or portable power banks
• Camping stove or BBQ
• First aid kit and essential medicines
• Pet supplies
• Can opener

If you rely on electricity for medical reasons, talk to your GP or medical provider about your emergency needs and plan.

Grab bag

Be ready to leave quickly if you need to evacuate. Each household member should have their own grab bag with:

• Warm clothes, walking shoes, raincoat and hat
• Water, snacks and baby/pet food
• Medications, first aid kit, hand sanitiser
• Portable phone charger, torch, radio and batteries
• Copies of important documents (birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate, photo ID)
• Cash for emergencies
• Food for any special dietary needs

Car supplies

Prepare for emergencies while travelling:

• Keep emergency items in your vehicle, including warm clothing, food, water, a torch, a phone charger, and essential medicines.
• In winter or extreme conditions, add a shovel, brush, tyre chains, and windscreen scraper.
• Keep your fuel tank topped up as petrol stations may be unavailable during power cuts.
• Check weather and road conditions before and during travel.