Quakes prompt more people to prepare for disasters

The Christchurch quakes have prompted more people to prepare for natural disasters. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Christchurch earthquakes have prompted more people to prepare for natural disasters, Civil Defence Minister Craig Foss says.

New Zealand's level of preparedness has been measured annually since 2006 and the latest survey showed 60 per cent of those questioned had taken steps in the last 12 months, up from 44 per cent last year.

Mr Foss said the main prompt was given as the September and February earthquakes.

The proportion of people who said they were fully prepared for an emergency increased from 11 per cent last year to 18 per cent this year.

Being fully prepared means having an emergency survival plan that includes what to do when away from home, having emergency survival items and water for at least three days, and regularly updating those items.

Nearly one third said they were prepared for an emergency when at home, compared with a fifth in 2010.

More than four out of five people surveyed had emergency survival items and nearly two-thirds had a survival plan.

"The biggest challenge in the past has been to overcome complacency about the need to be prepared," Mr Foss said.

"Since the quakes we have seen a significant shift, with people seeking advice and information on what they need to do to be prepared."

- NZPA