Welfare and community info
In an emergency requiring civil defence centres to be activated, the locations and other important information is communicated via radio, council websites and Facebook.
CDEM has the overall responsibility for the provision of welfare services – such as food, clothing, shelter, accommodation, financial assistance, pyschosocial support, animal welfare and advice – to affected individuals, families and communities during a civil defence emergency.
Welfare response is coordinated through a Welfare Coordinating Group (WCG), which includes both government and non-government organisations. In Northland, the agencies responsible for providing welfare services in an emergency are:
| Welfare function | Key agency |
| Registration/Needs assessment | Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) |
| Inquiry | New Zealand Police |
| Care & protection of children & young persons | Oranga Tamariki |
| Pyschosocial support | Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau |
| Emergency household goods & services | CDEM |
| Shelter & accommodation | CDEM / Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) |
| Financial assistance | Ministry of Social Development (MSD) |
| Animal welfare | Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) |
Civil defence centres
In an emergency, welfare activities are co-ordinated from civil defence centres, which are managed by welfare centre supervisors.
These centres are at pre-set locations and are activated with approval from the local council and the Welfare Coordinating Group. In an emergency requiring civil defence centres to be activated, their locations and other important information is communicated via radio, council websites and Facebook.
Community led centres
Community centres may also be established in an emergency. These are places where the community will meet and share resources and information and may provide overnight accommodation for those displaced from their homes.
Community centres are opened and managed by the community with guidance from local councils. Many communities which have a community response plan also have a basic welfare start-up kit and have received welfare training.
Visit the Community Response Plans page on this website to see if your community's plan is available.
Contact us
Civil Defence Northland
Northland Regional Council
Phone: 0800 002 004
Email: info@nrc.govt.nz