Council to test emergency communications during national tsunami exercise

As well as testing how our Civil Defence teams respond to an emergency, Council's Communications Team will be using the exercise to test how important information is shared with our communities.

This may include publishing simulated emergency updates on Council's website and social media channels, just as we would during a real emergency.

All simulated updates will be clearly labelled "EXERCISE PACWAVE – EXERCISE ONLY – NOT A REAL EMERGENCY" to distinguish them from genuine emergency information.

How can you get involved?

While our Civil Defence teams are practising their response to a simulated tsunami, we're also inviting our communities to help put our emergency communications to the test.

We'd love people to think about the information they would need if a real tsunami was affecting coastal Rangitīkei and send us the questions they'd want answered.

For example:

• Which roads are closed, and can I get home?
• Where can I go if I've had to evacuate?
• What happens if I've had to leave my pets behind?
• How can I help people who have been affected?
• What if I can't contact my family?

These are the kinds of questions that can arise during an emergency, and understanding what matters most to our communities helps us prepare to communicate more effectively.

During a real emergency, social media can also provide valuable information from people on the ground, helping emergency management teams build a clearer picture of what's happening in affected areas.

Because PacWave is a simulated exercise, our teams will be working with fictional information provided as part of the scenario. However, questions from the public can still help us identify gaps in the information we provide and how we communicate it.

While we may not be able to respond to every question during the exercise, we'll be taking note of the feedback as part of our learning.

Why are we doing this?

Emergency exercises provide an opportunity to test our systems, procedures and communications in a realistic environment, without the pressure of responding to a genuine emergency.

The aim isn't to get everything perfect. It's to identify what works, what could be improved and where we might need to make changes before a real emergency occurs.

By involving our communities in the communications side of the exercise, we can also gain a better understanding of the information people need when it matters most.

If you'd like to get involved, keep an eye on Council's Facebook page on Wednesday 14 October and send us the questions you'd want answered during a real emergency.

Important reminder

Exercise Pacific Wave is a simulated emergency exercise. Any updates published as part of the exercise will be clearly identified and do not indicate a genuine tsunami threat.

If a real emergency occurs, always follow official Civil Defence warnings and instructions.