A-Z Health Information | Te hāpori (Ngā kaupapa hauora) Emergency Management

Emergency Management

Diseases outbreaks, floods, earthquakes and other man-made or natural disasters can happen without warning and when we least expect.

Toi Te Ora Public Health provides advice and information across the four R’s of emergency management; reduction, readiness, response and recovery.

In an emergency Toi Te Ora may be called upon to provide advice on:

  • Air quality
  • Burials
  • Disease prevention and control measures
  • Drinking water
  • Hazardous substances, such as chemical spills
  • Pests
  • Psychosocial welfare
  • Radioactive substances
  • Refuse disposal
  • Sewage disposal
  • Spills
  • Water quality (includes water for sanitation and drinking, fresh and marine recreational water)

Toi Te Ora has identified possible emergency scenarios and has prepared contingency plans. Staff at Toi Te Ora are trained in emergency response systems to work as a team and manage emergencies in a co-ordinated and effective way.

The overall health goal of Toi Te Ora is to minimize the health risks to communities and individuals in an emergency. An emergency may or may not be a declared civil defence emergency.  This is what transpired in 2009 for the H1N1 Pandemic that involved a whole of ‘Health’ lead response which public health services played a key role.


Self Care and Wellness

It’s normal to feel upset after extreme events.  If you need support or advice, or have feelings of anxiety, stress, prolonged fear, hopelessness or anger and need to talk with someone, you can phone Healthline on 0800 611 116.

The below resources may also be helpful:


For more information

Preparing for and during an emergency:


Specific Hazard Information and Advice:

General:

Contact us for more information.

Updated 14 Feb, 2023