Kia Takatū ngā Tamariki Get Kids Ready

Tips for parents, caregivers and schools:

• Know your hazards and understand the risks. Every school or childcare centre faces its own unique set of risks, so it’s important to understand the hazards that may affect your school and local community. Use the Bay of Plenty Natural Hazards Viewer and our Hazardscape resource to help you learn more about hazards that may affect your local school or early childhood centre.

• Familiarise yourself with your school/daycare’s emergency plan and procedures. Find out where your children will evacuate to and where you will pick them up from in an emergency.

• Get your children involved with emergency planning. Emergencies can be stressful for children, so knowing what to expect can help them feel more comfortable. It can be as simple as having a calm conversation about what to do in an emergency and making a plan together. Or letting your kids help you pack emergency supplies or a grab bag and including items such as their favourite snack, book, or toy.

• Identify friends and family nearby to the school who may be able to collect the kids if you are stuck at home or work and unable to reach them. Make sure you give the school or daycare a list of the people who can pick your children up on your behalf.

• Practice memorising important details with children. This could include memorising parent/caregiver phone numbers, home address, and 111 if they find themselves in danger. 

• If your rangatahi have a phone or access to social media: make sure they are familiar with our website and get them to follow us on Facebook @BOPCivilDefence so they can stay informed.

• Practice makes perfect! Participate in regular emergency drills such as ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hikoi (evacuation walk).