Small Steps Towards Resilience and Personal Safety
Date: Friday 11th September 2026
Time: 1:30 – 2:15pm
Venue: McKay Stadium (upstairs), 97 Western Hills Drive, Kensington, Whangārei
NZSL interpreted.
Feeling unsure about what to do in an emergency? Want to feel better prepared?
Join our panel discussion with Hato Hone St John, Fire & Emergency NZ, Civil Defence Northland and WDC Accessibility Advisory Group representative, Robin Lieffering, and learn how you can take small steps towards resilience and personal safety. This panel is part of the speaker series upstairs at McKay Stadium during the Shaping Your Legacy Expo in Whangārei.
Whether it’s testing a smoke alarm, updating your emergency contacts, putting together a grab bag, checking your medication supplies, or having a conversation with a neighbour, every action helps build confidence and resilience. We encourage you to choose just one small step and take it. Being prepared is not about having everything perfect—it’s about starting where you are and building on what you already know and do.
This is your chance to get answers to questions such as:
- For older adults living alone or managing health conditions, what are the most important things to have in place before an emergency happens?
- What simple steps can people take to make their medical information, medications and emergency contacts easy to find if ambulance staff need to come into the home?
- What should older adults think about if they might need to stay at home for several days without power, water or easy transport?
- How can people keep informed during an emergency if the internet is down, phones are flat, or they are not confident using technology?
- What are the most common fire risks in homes, and are there particular risks older adults should pay attention to?
- Smoke alarms came up as a key safety message. Where should people have them, how often should they check them, and what should someone do if they cannot safely reach them?
- What does a good escape plan look like for someone who lives alone, uses a walker, has limited mobility, or may need extra time to get out?
Questions to [email protected]
