13 October 2016

Stan’s back, and he’s more prepared than ever before

Kiwi kids will be better prepared for emergencies thanks to a new teaching resource developed by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and EQC.

Sarah Stuart-Black, Director, Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, says the Ministry and EQC have redeveloped and modernisedWhat’s the Plan Stan, the well-known guide for teaching emergency preparedness in primary classrooms.

“This year is Get Ready Week, and our theme is Prepared Kids. As well as encouraging schools to use What’s the Plan, Stan? to update their emergency preparedness plans and build resilience as a life skill in students, we are encouraging families to talk about what they would do in an emergency.”

EQC Chief Executive Ian Simpson says the Commission is delighted to work with the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management on the new “What’s the Plan Stan” national schools resource.

Our messages really complement and reinforce each other and this is an exciting initiative,” he says.

“EQC and Civil Defence share the goal of helping people prepare for and recover from the emergencies that are inevitable in a geologically active country like New Zealand and the education of our children is crucial to improving resilience.”

Initially developed in 2009, the redeveloped resource has been moved online (www.whatstheplanstan.govt.nz), and expanded to include years 1-3, meaning it now caters for years 1-7. It features information for school leaders, fact sheets and interactive quizzes, and suggestions for teaching and learning programmes focusing on emergency events and the impacts they could have on communities.

The new What’s the Plan, Stan? website is being launched as part of this year’s Get Ready Week, held every year to mark the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (today).

TV3’s Sticky TV is also promoting preparedness during Get Ready Week, with four of their shows dedicated to talking about how to get ready.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and regional Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups across the country are spending the week promoting preparedness in the community, sharing resources to get families talking about preparedness and involving kids in their plans.

Mrs Stuart-Black says Get Ready Week is a great opportunity for families to take the time to be more prepared at home and at work.

• Talk to your kids in an honest, but not scary, way about what might happen in an emergency, what you can do to keep safe, and what your plan is for if you can’t get home. The more involved they are, the less scared they will be if an emergency does happen.

• Make a list of the people who could help you and those who might need your help in an emergency, write their numbers down in case

• Contact your school or daycare and find out what their emergency plans are. Where will they go if they are evacuated? Who will look after the kids until you get there? Give the school or day care a list of three people who can pick the kids up if you can’t get there.

• Make a list of supplies you might need at home and in your car – have a getaway bag for everyone, with warm clothes, snack food, water, ID, radio, torch and batteries.

• Visit www.happens.nz to work through an emergency plan with your family.

The new What’s the Plan, Stan? Is now online at www.whatstheplanstan.govt.nz.

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