Whangarei Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Logo  Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM)


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More information can be found on the below websites. Please note that these links open to a new window.

This page has information about the current civil defence status with links to additional information including weather forecasts, council news and updates, local and national roading information, tide tables. The page also provides links to other Civil Defence information, the hazards and how you can better prepare yourself, family and business in an emergency.

Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, Whangarei District Council has the responsibility to plan and provide for civil defence emergency management. There are a number of hazards in the Whangarei district of which flooding is the most common.

Civil Defence Status

    No Emergency

Weather Forecasts Met Service (opens in new window)
News and Updates View News and Updates
Local Roading Information No affected roads. Please contact the council's Call Centre for roading maintenance information on +64 9 430 4200.
National Roading Information AA Roadwatch (opens in new window)
Rural Fire Risk Open - National Rural Fire Authority (opens in a new window)
Tide Tables Land Information NZ (opens in new window)
National Civil Defence Emergency Management Ministry of CDEM (opens in new window)

Civil Defence News and Updates

There are no current Civil Defence news and updates.

About Civil Defence Emergency Management

Civil Defence in Whangarei

Your local Civil Defence Organisation is a section within the Infrastructure and Services Group of the Whangarei District Council.

Your Council employs one full time Emergency Management Officer and one full time Emergency Management Adviser.

What Is Civil Defence?

The Civil Defence Act 2002 makes it a requirement for each Local, District and Regional Council or Unitary Authority to:

  • Maintain a current Civil Defence Plan
  • Appoint Civil Defence Controllers who will manage any Civil Defence Emergency
  • Have a Civil Defence organisation and facilities

Council may also:

  • Recruit and train volunteers
  • Conduct Civil Defence training exercises

There is always some degree of risk involved wherever people choose to live and no part of New Zealand is immune from hazardous events, either naturally occurring or man made (for example a high country property may be subject to landslips, dwellings in low lying areas may flood, or coastal properties may be prone to erosion). However, once identified, many risks can be managed with the involvement and support of the affected community.

Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) is a statutory function of all councils in New Zealand. CDEM plans detail the functions, responsibilities and priorities of councils and organisations. These plans are vital where a significant event requires a managed community wide response to minimise loss of life, injury or distress. Everyone in the community needs to understand however, that they may have to survive without assistance for several days during an emergency. Each individual and family in the community is responsible for ensuring that they have an emergency plan and that they are as prepared as they can be for an event. For more information pick up a civil defence pack from us.

CDEM is the responsibility of everyone. It should be part of our everyday life. We need to know the hazards that affect us, what their effects are, how we will survive their impacts and how we will fix the results of those impacts - commonly known as the 4 R's.

  • Reduction - learning about the hazard and reducing the risk.
  • Readiness - common sense procedures to prepare for an event.
  • Response - looking after ourselves and people in distress during an event.
  • Recovery - fixing what didn't survive, hopefully better than it was before.

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