Civil Defence Status Levels

A guide to the status levels and descriptions

No Current Emergency

No civil defence emergency. This does not mean that a sudden event cannot occur at any time. Here are some suggestions on how you should be ready.

Weather Warning

When the Metservice issues a 'Weather Warning', Civil Defence status will change to 'Alert or Activated' depending on the events severity.

Alert

We have been alerted to a possible situation by:

• Police, Fire or other emergency services, or
• Metservice, or
• GNS science - Te Pū Ao
• National Emergency Management Agency, or
• Other agencies with a mandated response role, or
• Other warning systems such as telemetry / flood warning.

Civil Defence is in a monitoring and information gathering mode.

Activated

A hazard or event of significance is imminent or is occurring and has impacted or may impact on the Hurunui District Area and requires the activation of the Hurunui Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

Declaration

A State of Local Emergency can be declared under sections 68 or 69 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 when a situation arises that:

• Results from any event—natural or otherwise—including (but not limited to): explosions, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, floods, storms, tornadoes, cyclones, major fires, hazardous substance spills, technological failures, infestations, epidemics, or disruptions to essential services or lifeline utilities. It can also include actual or imminent acts of war or attack.
• Causes or has the potential to cause loss of life, injury, illness, distress, or endanger the safety of people or property anywhere in New Zealand.
• Cannot be effectively managed by emergency services alone and requires a significant, coordinated response under the Act.

Declaring a state of emergency enables authorities to act quickly and decisively to protect lives, property, and essential infrastructure.

State of national emergency

Declared under Section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

You can access the full text of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 on the official New Zealand Legislation website:

👉 Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 – Full Text

This resource provides the complete and up-to-date version of the Act, including all amendments. It's an authoritative source for understanding the legal framework governing emergency management in New Zealand.

For a general overview and additional resources, you can also visit the National Emergency Management Agency’s page on the Act:

👉 Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 – NEMA Overview

This page offers summaries and guidance to help interpret the legislation in practical terms.