Community Emergency Hub

Community Emergency Hubs

In a disaster, it’s likely official services will be stretched to a point where they must prioritise the most urgent callouts. The people closest to you, your neighbours, will likely be a key source of support. In the case of a big earthquake, there is likely to be widespread damage to power lines, water pipes, buildings, roads, and phone networks. Emergency services will be dealing with the most urgent matters, so the people you live nearest to will be your most immediate source of support.

What is the purpose of a Community Hub?

In a disaster, official services will be stretched to the point where they must prioritise the most urgent call-outs. We will all have to pitch in and help each other.

When you have checked on your household and neighbours, you and your family can go to your local Community Emergency Hub to:

• Ask for and offer help by sharing skills and resources among your community

• Share and find information about what's happening in your suburb

• Start organising the clean-up of your community

• Be in the company of others facing a similar situation

What will I find at a Community Emergency Hub?

The Hub is run by people like you in your local community without official assistance. Each Hub has a guide for how to coordinate the sharing of information, skills and resources that exist in your community.

There are no supplies, food, water or blankets stored at Hubs. Our communities are full of resources to get through the first week after an emergency. Your community can gather the things it needs at the time by working together

How is a Community Emergency Hub run?

Community members run a Hub without official assistance - it's essentially a place for neighbours to help each other in a coordinated way. Each Hub has a Hub Guide which explains how to organise an emergency response and describes the different roles needed.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Emergency Management staff works with communities to practise how they would respond to an emergency and help the people they live nearest to get through even some of the most challenging issues.

Where are our local Community Emergency Hubs?

Check out our interactive map of our established Community Emergency Hub locations.

If the Hub has not opened, local communities can try and find a keyholder or find another venue to set up the community support.

If the Hub building is damaged or there is a risk to safety from the surrounding area, then the Community Emergency Hub should not be opened. If this happens, try to find another venue to set up the Hub.

If your neighbourhood would like to establish a Community Emergency Hub, please contact us. We would be happy to help

Email us on emergencymanagement@westernbay.govt.nz or

Call us on 0800 926 732 and ask for an Emergency Management team member.

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