On 12 December, Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM), in partnership with Disabled Persons Assembly NZ (DPA), hosted an Emergency Preparedness Hui in New Brighton. This was the third hui held this year, with New Brighton chosen as the location based on DPA’s recommendation, as many members of the disabled community reside in the area and face heightened vulnerabilities during emergencies.

The hui addressed key challenges faced by disabled individuals during emergencies, such as difficulty hearing the Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) or tsunami siren, challenges in organising evacuations, and physical barriers to performing actions like "Drop, Cover, and Hold" during an earthquake. Social isolation and a lack of confidence in connecting with neighbours were also highlighted as barriers to preparedness.

Attendees included leaders from disabled service organisations, parents of disabled children, and disabled individuals themselves. Neighbourhood Support was also present, introducing ‘Life Tubes’—a tool for storing essential information in a fridge for easy access during emergencies. Each Life Tube contains a form for key information and a magnet to signal its presence, ensuring first responders can locate it quickly. Attendees were able to collect Life Tubes at the hui.

The presentation delivered by CDEM was tailored to disabled communities, ensuring slides were simple, accessible, and easy to read. The session covered a range of topics, including:

• The roles of Christchurch’s local emergency management team.
• The four phases of emergency management: Reduction, Readiness, Response, and Recovery.
• Local hazards, including tsunamis, earthquake, floods and adverse weather, and the associated consequences and responses.
• Tsunami evacuation zones and the regularly updated maps on the Christchurch City Council website.
• Different ways so to prepare for each hazard.

The hui also included two scenarios designed to help attendees think about their own preparedness solutions and apply the knowledge they gained during the session, including:

• Scenario 1 – 12pm Tsunami Warning, 8 hours to evacuate, a Welfare Centre was set up in the city centre.
• Scenario 2 – 6am, power has gone out, not sure when it will come back on.

Information pamphlets such as “Make a Plan” and “Don’t Be Scared, Just Be Prepared” were available to grab for further supporting attendees in their emergency planning.

The hui also prompted valuable discussions around equity issues, participants’ expectations, and the level of involvement from CDEM. The feedback provided healthy challenges to improve future engagements and strengthen inclusivity in emergency preparedness efforts.