Media Release: Westport flood evacuation preparedness campaign gathers momentum
Westport flood evacuation preparedness campaign gathers momentum
Encouraging the people of Westport and surrounds to think ahead in the face of a flooding emergency is at the heart of a campaign being promoted this week. This includes an opportunity to find out more at a public event at the NBS Theatre on the evening of 23 April 2026.
Along with an invitation to the event, residents should receive a copy of the Westport: Get Ready – Go! Evacuation Guide in their letterboxes or post boxes today [15 April]. The Guide has been put together by the local West Coast Emergency Management Team, in conjunction with Resilient Westport.
The aim of the Guide is to support household preparedness in the event of a major flood or other emergency affecting Westport and surrounds, requiring people to evacuate to a place of safety.
Residents will also receive a short Household Evacuation Plan template they can fill out, in advance, with key information to help in the event of an emergency.
To support the written material, the 23 April event is being held to give people the opportunity to find out more in person about evacuation planning and the Westport emergency management environment generally. The event is free and open to all.
Members of the public will have the chance to chat with representatives of the local emergency services to gain more understanding about what goes on behind the scenes in a flood or other emergency. A free sausage sizzle and spot prizes will also be on offer.
Westport Evacuation Plan – free community information event
Where: NBS Theatre, Westport
When: Thursday, 23 April 2026
Time: 6.30pm to 8pm
West Coast Emergency Management manager Claire Brown says this campaign stems from a great deal of work carried out last year on a new Westport Flood: Evacuation Response Plan.
“The Plan is a more detailed document that informs the actions of emergency management and the broader response to a major flood and other similar emergency events. It was developed throughout 2025 in conjunction with key stakeholders. It is essentially a plan for Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Controllers, Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) staff and stakeholders directly involved in carrying out a flood-related evacuation.
“Once we had a strong version of that Plan in place, we wanted to carry that through to local residents so they can learn for themselves how crucial their role is in an emergency. As part of this we carried out a survey last October to gauge readiness and are now distributing this Guide. We want residents to understand the power they have to help themselves and others by being prepared and thinking ahead of time about how they might act or respond, should an emergency evacuation be needed.
“Most importantly, we want the Westport community to be reassured there is a plan in place should the worst happen, that we have thought about past experiences, and have more tools available than ever before to do everything possible to help keep them safe. So, we hope people come along on 23 April to hear more and meet those whose job it is to look out for them when nature give us a hard time,” says Ms Brown.
[ends]
For further information please contact:
Resilient Westport Communications team
media@resilientwestport.co.nz