While it is general perception that New Zealanders know more and more about the hazards they live alongside, the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)'s latest Annual Preparedness survey for 2025 suggests they are not taking steps to prepare themselves.
The annual survey monitors how prepared New Zealanders are for emergencies and how they respond during and after an emergency event. The 2025 edition released in October 2025 reveals that although 91% of New Zealanders thought it was quite or very important to be prepared for an emergency, only 40% had taken steps to prepare themselves or their household for an emergency in the past 12 months.
Despite this, 51% of respondents felt they were very or quite well prepared for an emergency (up from 46% in 2024), and 64% believe they know a lot or a fair amount about preparing for one (a 10% increase since 2022).
NEMA director of civil defence emergency management John Price said, “When it comes to household preparedness, confidence levels may have increased, but the number of people taking the real steps to prepare themselves has stayed the same.
“In an emergency, professional first responders like Police, Fire and Emergency and Civil Defence staff have to focus on rescues and helping the people who are most at risk – they can’t waste valuable time helping people who have not done their bit.”
“If you have not prepared, you could be putting other people at risk. Being prepared will prevent harm to you and those you care about.”
NEMA has been surveying New Zealanders about emergency readiness since 2006 and the results show that preparedness increases by 10% to 15% after major events like the Canterbury quakes or Cyclone Gabrielle but decreases after that.
The survey also highlighted the role of public education campaigns, and how they prompt New Zealanders to take action. Nearly half of New Zealanders recall NEMA’s “Long Strong, Get Gone” advertising campaign, and 42% of those who saw it took action or spoke to someone about preparedness.
The Flood Waters are Deep Trouble campaign – heavily-targeted advertisements that run during severe weather events – also prompt action among 64% of those who see it.