Council Brings Civil Defence Education to Classrooms
Educating the community on emergency preparedness is a task that MDC’s Emergency Management team champion daily. Focusing on a younger audience, Hannah Tokona, MDC’s Emergency Management Coordinator, has been busy revitalising the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) in schools' initiative. Attending local schools and kids' clubs, Hannah facilitates interactive sessions discussing emergency preparedness and encourages students to be prepared for natural disasters.
The CDEM in school’s initiative gets kids thinking about different scenarios and prompts them to discuss emergency preparation at home. “It’s important that we don’t spook the students but rather begin the conversation and encourage awareness”, said Hannah. “It sparks the conversation at home and encourages whānau to think about emergency supplies and their household plan”.
Hannah has developed Manawatū District specific resources in-house, including quizzes, games, bingo sheets, interactive sticker boards and drawing activities. The activities encourage students to put their thinking caps on and consider scenarios relevant to where they live. This includes guessing the top five hazards in the Manawatū District, the top four ways to prepare, and which emergency supplies should be in your ‘Grab and Go’ bag. One of the most popular games uses picture cards, where students select which items are essential emergency supplies – from rubber ducks and rugby balls to flashlights and tinned food. “It’s always funny when the Xbox card is pulled. They tend to deem that essential”, Hannah laughed.
Emergency preparedness education is important, not only for preparing the next generation for natural disasters, but also their households. The initiative has taken off in popularity and has had great community response, with many sessions scheduled into 2026. MDC’s Emergency Management team are proactively engaging with rural communities and looking to Feilding schools and youth clubs in 2026. If the CDEM in schools’ session is of interest, please connect with MDC’s Emergency Management Coordinator, Hannah Tokona at Hannah.Tokona@mdc.govt.nz
Get involved and show off your emergency household plan or grab bag and go in the draw to win an emergency grab bag worth $393! Learn more about getting prepared and enter the competition here: Get Ready Manawatū | Make your mark Manawatū
MDC’s Emergency Management Coordinator, Hannah Tokona, facilitating a session at Awahou School.
A Scout group playing the picture card game, selecting essential supplies for their emergency grab bags.