What does Civil Defence do?

"Civil Defence" is New Zealand's system of emergency management – reducing risk, being ready for, responding to and recovering from emergencies.

Civil Defence Emergency Management groups are responsible for coordinating and delivering effective emergency management in their regions.

The Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group works together with local government, emergency services, lifeline utilities and others to ensure we are ready to effectively respond to emergencies.

We do this by:

• Planning, organising, coordinating, and implementing comprehensive civil defence emergency management with our partners in Taranaki
• Identifying and understanding hazards and risks in Taranaki and how we can best respond to and manage them
• Preparing CDEM Group plans and managing hazards and risks across the "4Rs"  (reduction, readiness, response and recovery)
• Running public education campaigns on emergency readiness
• Coordinating the response to large-scale emergencies when they occur

 CDEM Groups are responsible for:

1. Identifying the hazards and risks in its group area that may result in an emergency
2. Undertaking, where practicable, any actions to reduce hazards and risks in its group area
3. Establishing the means within its group area, in line with national guidelines and in collaboration with its supporting agencies, to provide timely warning of hazards, and public information about them
4. Developing, maintaining, and regularly reviewing its capability for reduction, readiness, response, and recovery within its group area, and taking part in relevant exercises under the National CDEM Exercise Programme
5. Appointing, developing, and maintaining key operational positions, including Local Controllers and CDEM Group Controllers, Recovery Managers, Public Information Managers, Welfare Managers, Lifeline Utility Co-ordinators, and operations, intelligence, planning, and logistics staff