Helping Others

Whether you are interested in becoming a Civil Defence volunteer, or offer support and assistance within your local community, you can play a vital role in the community in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from an emergency. This section outlines a number of key areas that you may provide assistance. 

Trained volunteering - Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management volunteers.

Hawke's Bay Emergency Management maintains two volunteer teams, to assist in critical response and welfare roles during an emergency. All gear and training are provided, and becoming a trained Civil Defence volunteer in either of our teams will allow you to gain new skills, develop relationships, and give back to the wider Hawke’s Bay community during an emergency. 

Response Team - The Response Team is a group of trained volunteers who take part in weekly training nights in Hastings. During an emergency the response team takes part in assisting emergency services.

The team has a physical component and specializes in ground-based rescue, flood, storm and welfare response, and rapid reconnaissance of damage during an emergency. 

Welfare Team – The Welfare Team is a group of trained volunteers that specializes in establishing and running Civil Defence Centers during an emergency, and are trained to provide psychosocial first aid, complete needs assessments of people affected by an emergency, and ‘door knock’ to conduct welfare checks.

Is trained volunteering right for you? If you are committed, have a mobile phone, and want to make a difference, fill in our Registration of Interest form and we'll contact you. 

AREC New Zealand – Amateur Radio Emergency Communication “AREC” is the public service arm of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters “NZART” and provide skilled volunteers to enable essential communications to support disaster responses. Click here to volunteer with AREC.

Helping your community get ready.

A resilient community is where people know each other, are connected, and involved, and have a strong sense of community pride. Knowing who your neighbors are, being involved in your local community groups and events, and being committed to your community will make you someone most likely to both copes well during an emergency event and bounce back afterwards.

To help your friends, family and community get prepared for emergencies some steps you can take include knowing your neighbours, joining a neighbourhood support group, becoming a community patroller, holding a neighbour day, and coming together to make a community plan.