FIRST72 is proud to be supporting the Napier Hill Community Emergency Response Society to equip their Community Emergency Hub at Napier Central School.

This community-led initiative recognises the critical need for emergency preparedness in the event of a major disaster – whether it’s a rupture of the Hikurangi Fault, another extreme weather event like Cyclone Gabrielle, or widespread flooding across Napier. With tens of thousands of residents potentially displaced, Napier Hill must be ready to provide safety, welfare and support for its people and the wider community.

This project has been made possible by the DIA and NEMA through the 2025/26 CDEM Resilience Fund, and has been developed in collaboration with local councils, Civil Defence and the community together.

A new SMART EPOD will be deployed at Napier Central School to transition into the venue into a self-sufficient Community Emergency Hub, equipped to provide welfare and essential support for thousands of people for the first 72 hours after a disaster. Last year, the school has a large solar and battery system installed and this EPOD is intended to build on that.

The project will be delivered ahead of 14 October, the annual ShakeOut Day. To mark the milestone, the community response group will run a live exercise and practice drill at Napier Central School – demonstrating how the hub and EPOD will be activated and managed in a real emergency.

This project is another step forward in building community-led resilience across New Zealand.

If your community is interested in developing its own emergency hub or EPOD solution, connect with us at www.first72.org.nz.