Civil Defence

Be Prepared

A Civil Defence emergency will occur - it may be today, tomorrow or next year, but it will occur.

To survive:

  • Be prepared.
  • Know who your local area contact is.
  • Know who your Civil Defence Sector Manager is.
  • Know where your Sector Community Welfare Centre is located.

The land area of Southland District represents 11.5% of New Zealand and is the largest Civil Defence district in New Zealand. Although the District is large in size, the population of about 28,500 people equates to just under 1% of New Zealand’s population.

All New Zealanders are part of Civil Defence because when a disaster happens people in the affected area will probably have to fend for themselves - as individuals, as families and neighbours, and as a community - until other help is provided.

Personal Preparedness

Personal preparedness is an important survival factor - it is part of the concept of community self help and mutual aid that is the basis of Civil Defence in New Zealand.

Civil Defence begins with the individual.  The inside back “yellow page” of your telephone directory is your personal Civil Defence guide advising you how to prepare for a disaster and what to do when it happens.

When you and your family are familiar with this basic information, Civil Defence is already working.

For more information on Civil Defence and being prepared, please go to the national Civil Defence website.

For more information, see the Southland Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group's website www.civildefence.co.nz

If you are concerned about flooding and/or river levels, contact Environment Southland on or check its website www.es.govt.nz

About this page

First added: 2 March 2009
Last updated: 25 May 2010

Who to contact

If you would like to discuss a matter on this page, feel free to contact us:

Southland District Council
P.O. Box 903
Invercargill 9840
Phone: 0800 732 732
Fax: 0800 732 329
emailsdc@southlanddc.govt.nz