What We Do

What is Civil Defence?

Civil Defence is not an organisation as such, but a system of coordinating emergency management. It's a way communities, organisations and government work together to get ready and get through an emergency. In this way, we are all Civil Defence.

Civil Defence professionals are here to coordinate the emergency services, welfare service agencies, utility companies and the community during an emergency. But because you are Civil Defence too, you need to make sure you can take care of yourself and people you care about when there is an emergency.

Civil Defence

Operational structure

The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act sets out how civil defence should be managed around New Zealand.

In the Bay of Plenty, we have a Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group that manages activities. All Councils in the Bay of Plenty, along with agencies such as the police and fire service, are all members of this group.

The CDEM Group works together to:

  • reduce the potential effects of hazards;
  • promote community and council readiness (preparedness) to respond to emergencies; and 
  • help the community to recover after an event

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan 2024 - 2029

The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group has prepared this plan to demonstrate how CDEM will be delivered in the region over the next 5 years.

An online version of this plan is available in our Document Library or you can contact Emergency Management Bay of Plenty for a printed copy.