Community response groups

Creating, training and supporting community response groups is a key part of Council's Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan.

Response groups help their communities be more prepared and self-reliant in the event of a disaster or emergency. These groups are made up of volunteers who liaise with Palmerston North civil defence and emergency services to initiate and assist in response to an emergency.

This role is different to our rescue emergency support team.

Response groups provide response capability ranging from staffing the emergency operations centre (which provides planning, operations, logistics and communications) to welfare and first aid within their local community.

In collaboration with Palmerston North civil defence, the response group also oversees the Community Response Plan and engages with local residents to ensure they know how to be prepared for potential disasters and what to do in an emergency.

Palmerston North's civil defence emergency management team is forming community response groups for the villages of:

  • Aokautere
  • Ashhurst
  • Bunnythorpe
  • Kairanga
  • Linton
  • Longburn
  • Turitea

Keep an eye on our Council Facebook page for updates on community meetings.

More information on the roles and responsibilities of Palmerston North City Council, Horizons Regional Council and other agencies can be found in the Manawatū-Whanganui CDEM Group Plan 2016-21. You can find this document on the Horizons website.