Be Warned

Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies sent by authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts are designed to keep people safe and are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers.

The alerts can be targeted to areas affected by serious hazards and will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health, or property, and in some cases for test purposes.

If you get an alert, read the message and take it seriously. It will tell you what the emergency is and what to do. It will also tell you which agency sent the message and if needed, where to go for more information.

In New Zealand we know disasters can strike anytime, anywhere and affect anyone. The Red Cross Hazard App is a free, comprehensive and convenient way to be ready for emergencies. Being prepared for hazards reduces our vulnerability to them and helps save lives. 

If your phone is not capable of receiving EMAs and you cannot download the Red Cross Hazard App then you can receive an alert for a major emergency in the Bay of Plenty by subscribing to receive Emergency Management text alerts.

Simply text the two letters (no spaces) for your respective area to 2028. Once you text to subscribe, you will receive a confirmation text within a couple of minutes

Please Note:

• Your subscription text will cost 20c, but all alerts you receive will not result in any charge.
• If you are already subscribed to text alerting and attempt to subscribe a second time, you will not receive a second confirmation text.
• If you live outside of the Bay of Plenty area, please contact your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group for alerting options.

DISCLAIMER: The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group cannot guarantee that the Text Alerts will reach you during an Emergency due to circumstances outside of our control - like infrastructure failure - which may interfere with the message being broadcast.

Text alerts will only be used in major emergencies and will not be used for weather alerts or minor localised events. Texts you send will not be read or monitored, and will incur another 20c fee.

Social media is another great way to stay informed. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute information. Get connected and also receive push notifications by 'Liking' us on Facebook or 'Following' us on Twitter. Once you have clicked on the 'Subscribe' button, simply click on the links below and visit our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Radio Stations

In an emergency the radio may be your prime source of information. Power and telecommunication outages are likely to impact your ability to get information from normal channels. If you don’t have a radio at home (most people have a radio in their car) consider a wind up or battery operated radio so you can stay informed. While national messaging will be available on all channels, for area specific information you will have to listen to your local radio stations.