Getting “Good and Ready”: Queenstown Community Learns Emergency Preparedness Together
On Tuesday 24 June, more than 40 community members from across Queenstown came together to ask a simple but powerful question: Are we ready for a disaster or an emergency?
The Good and Ready Emergency Preparedness Workshop, co-hosted by Lakes Multicultural Collective, New Zealand Red Cross, and QLDC’s Welcoming Communities, was all about helping our multicultural whānau feel more confident and equipped in the face of emergencies.
The evening was facilitated by Steve King, the Southern Area Coordination and Planning Lead for NZ Red Cross, who led an engaging and insightful session that got everyone thinking about how we can better prepare ourselves, our families, and our communities for an emergency.
The room was filled with leaders and members from our Pacific and ethnic communities—including Tongan, Fijian, French, Latino, Malaysian, Bruneian, and Singaporean groups. It was heartening to see so many backgrounds represented, all united by a common kaupapa: looking after our families and neighbours when the unexpected hits.
Mr. King (Red Cross) led the session with energy, humour, and practical wisdom. Together, we explored:
✔️ Why emergency preparedness matters
✔️ Local hazards and risks in our region
✔️ How to build a household or community plan
✔️ Templates, tools, and tips to take home and share
Many attendees said the session opened their eyes to things they hadn’t considered before — especially around how unprepared we can be without even realising it.
We were also pleased to have Craig Gibson from Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM), and Jan Andrews, a contractor currently working on a local capability project and airport evacuation plan, attend the event. Their knowledge and presence added great value to the evening.
We were especially grateful to see so many families bring along their children—some as young as 12. Their presence didn’t go unnoticed. Craig Gibson (CDEM) highlighted how valuable it was to see young people in the room, noting that in many households, it’s often the kids who are first to start these conversations. Emergency preparedness is being taught in schools, and that knowledge really showed. When Steve King (Red Cross) asked questions throughout the workshop, it was often the tamariki who confidently put their hands up first.
We’re excited to continue working together to bring more workshops like this to our communities — and even develop a Train the Trainer session to help keep this momentum going. If you would like work with us to coordinate an Emergency Preparedness workshop for your community, please be sure to get in touch with us on kiaora@lakesmulticultural.org
Again, a big Thank You goes out to everyone who showed up, took notes, and asked great questions. This mahi only works when we do it together—because a more prepared community is a stronger one 💪
