Bay of Plenty Civil Defence will be conducting tests of alert systems at 10 am Thursday, 24 May. The following information from Bay of Plenty Emergency Management provides further detail on the tests.
Please note that Whakatāne District Council does not manage these alert systems, and all queries should be directed to Bay of Plenty Emergency Management.
What is being tested?
The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (BOP CDEM Group) are testing the following systems:
- Text alerts
- Social Media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter and the BOP CDEM Group website)
- The Red Cross Hazards app
- Fixed Sirens being tested in Whakatāne/Ōhope and Ōpōtiki. These are the only locations in the Bay of Plenty that have fixed sirens. The Coastlands fixed siren is currently undergoing maintenance, so a vehicle mounted siren will be tested there instead.
- Vehicle mounted mobile sirens (stingers) will be tested in Lake Ōkāreka, Te Puke, Kawerau, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki.
What is not being tested
We are not testing emergency mobile alerts as these are coordinated by the Ministry for Civil Defence and will be tested on a different date, later this year.
Why are you testing your alert systems?
It allows us to practice our activation procedures, ensure the systems are functioning correctly and helps to increase public awareness around responding to emergency events.
Do I need to do anything if I receive a text?
No. The tests are for the BOP CDEM Group to check the systems are working correctly. However, if members of the public would like to provide feedback, they can complete the online survey which can be accessed by visiting www.bopcivildefence.govt.nz
How do I register to receive these texts?
By texting the two letters for the area you live in (as follows) to 2028:
- KA for Kawerau
- WH for Whakatāne
- OP for Opotiki
NOTE: If you subscribed to the text alerting platform within the last 24 hours, you may not have been loaded onto the system in time for the test. The initial text to sign up will cost 20 cents.
I didn’t receive the text?
These text alerts are only despatched to people who have registered for this service, and who have maintained their contact details – this includes updating your details if you have changed your service provider.
If you believe you have subscribed to these alerts, your details have not changed and you did not receive a text message as part of this test, please email your details and this information through to info@boprc.govt.nz. This will enable us to check within the system at our end.
A text wouldn’t wake me up in the night. How am I supposed to know when to evacuate?
There is no fail safe alerting platform, and each tool has its advantages and downfalls, which is why we use multiple alerting platforms during an event.
At the end of the day, people need to be familiar with the suite of alert systems in their area and remember that natural warning signs are always best. If people ever feel unsafe, they should prepare to self-evacuate and not wait for the official warnings signs.
Vehicle mounted, mobile alerting sirens (Stingers)
Why are Civil Defence vehicles driving around with sirens on?
This is part of a region-wide alert system test. These vehicle mounted sirens are a tool that could be used in an emergency as a way to alert the public or share information. They would only be deployed if it was safe for the person operating them.
Why are they not being tested in my area?
We only have a limited number of these vehicle mounted sirens available, and therefore it is only possible to cover a few areas at any time. For each test we do, we randomly select areas to test them in so a variety of communities are exposed to the way they sound. On occasion we also deploy them in specific areas as a way of testing the local response planning arrangements.
How long will these fixed sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty sound for?
The fixed sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty will sound for five minutes at a constant tone.
How will I know if it is a real event and not a test?
In a real event, the fixed sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty will sound for 10 minutes at a constant tone.
Do I need to do anything if I hear the siren at 10 am on Thursday, 24 May?
No. The fixed sirens being tested to check the systems are working correctly. There is no need for members of the public to do anything.