Get ready week 2011

Every year since the early nineties, the United Nations organises a World Disaster Reduction Campaign, which culminates on International Disaster Reduction Day, the second Wednesday of October. In New Zealand, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management working in collaboration with Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups around the country, has promoted Disaster Awareness Week, a week of activities aimed at raising awareness of hazards and the need to be prepared. The week eas renamed “Get Ready Week”, in 2010 to move beyond creating awareness to encouraging people to take action to “Get Ready”.

The purpose of Get Ready Week is to have a heightened period of activity to get across key CDEM messages to the general public. The plan is to have an intensive national mass media advertising campaign to promote the key messages, with CDEM Groups encouraged to undertake local and regional activities for their communities. The focus during the week is on encouraging individuals to take action to be better prepared to deal with disasters when they happen.

Planned national media activities

The national theme will continue to be the generic "Get Ready Get Thru" and it is up to CDEM Groups to focus on specific aspects such as water, schools, businesses etc. As in previous years there will be an intensive national mass media campaign on television and radio reinforced by activities to support CDEM Groups.

Radio and television advertising

An intensive two-week campaign will run from early October on television and radio. Details of programmes and times will be posted closer to the time when schedules are available from the networks.

The Ministry will work with the National Public Education Reference Group to identify and promote the various activities planned around the country.