8 June, 2016

Aucklanders advised to change Civil Defence app

Auckland residents are being advised to change their current civil defence phone alert system to a new national Red Cross hazard app.

“We’re changing to a national platform for civil defence alerts and we’d like to encourage all Aucklanders to download the Red Cross hazard app so they can receive real-time alerts to help them stay safe in an emergency,’ says Councillor Sharon Stewart, Chair of the Auckland Council Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group Committee.

Auckland will join Northland, Waikato, Wellington and other regions using the Red Cross hazard app to push real-time emergency notifications. The Red Cross hazard system is also being used by other organisations such as Geonet and MetService.

“The new app is free to download from the Apple store or Google Play. After 30 June, the current Auckland Civil Defence device will be decommissioned and will no longer be used to pre-warn you if there is an emergency,” says Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management Director, John Dragicevich.

He says the app is just one channel used by Civil Defence for getting information out to the public in an emergency.

“The Red Cross hazard app will allow users to stay informed about hazards and risks through their mobile devices. However Civil Defence uses a range of different channels, including radio, television, SMS and social media to deliver timely information to make sure all New Zealanders know what they need to do to keep themselves, their whanau and their neighbours safe.”

Around 35,000 people currently subscribe to the Auckland Civil Defence app.

“We have had excellent service from the Auckland Civil Defence app, which has been in use for the past five years,” says Councillor Stewart.

“However, we are looking forward to being part of a national platform run by an internationally respected organisation, and the move will deliver savings for ratepayers. We hope more Aucklanders will be prompted to sign up so they can be alerted to any emergencies wherever they are,” she says.

You can find out more about the Red Cross hazard app here: https://www.redcross.org.nz/what-we-do/in-new-zealand/disaster-management/hazard-app/

ENDS

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