Residents are being reminded to make sure they are ready for an emergency after Saturday’s 7.1 earchquake in Christchurch highlighted the importance of stocking up.

Waiheke Community Board chairman and civil emergency spokesman Tny Sears said Saturday’s quake happened just three days after a civil defence emergency meeting on the island had been called off.

He said he had been in favour of abandoning the meeting, which had been called by Auckland City Council, because there was nothing new on offer.

Mr Sears said he had spent two years trying to get a dummy run of emergency notification on the island but had met with lack of interest by the powers that be.

He said the minute some local group wanted to do something it was impossible to get permission from the national body.

“It’s been a disappointment not having been able to progress things to have a trial of emergency management on the island,” he said.

Now he is advising islanders to take personal responsibly for their own welfare and ensure they stock up on emergency supplies, particularly a battery or wind-up radio.

Mr Sears, who has family in Christchurch, said he had been called at 6am on Saturday morning by his brother who had been left helpless over unfolding events because he lacked a radio.

Mr Sears said his sister was still without power three days after the quake, with other members of the family having their power restored at different times.

He said it illustrated the importance of being ready to cope with emergencies.

“It goes to show these things are important – particularly here, where we don’t have the infrastructure.

“We need to be prepared with a grab-bag of essential items.”

Mr Sears said few people still had transister radios but they were particularly critical pieces of equipment to have in an emergency.

“The way civil defence is going to communicate is through the radio. People won’t be able to rely on television or sirens. In Christchurch, people were hopping out to their cars and listening to the radio there.”

Mr Sears’ call is being echoed by Waiheke GP Rebecca Potts, who was in Christchurch visiting her sister when the quake happened.

She is advising everyone to have a battery-powered radio and said it was the only way she and her sister could find out what was happening after the quake struck.

“Radio National was fantastic. Within half an hour of the quake, they said what was happening.”

Speaking after her return to the island, Ms Potts said the quake had made her realise the importance of using common sense, such as conserving cellphone batteries by not making too many calls.

“Use your cellphone responsibly. Don’t overuse it,” she advised.

She said she had noticed how responsible people had become after the quake, with neighbours complying with requests check on each other’s safety but otherwise staying indoors.

“People were very good,” she said, “they did what they were told.”

Ms Potts said people should also be aware of how things people take for granted come to halt in the event of a disaster –  her sister had been suffering from a dental abcess and it had been impossible to get it treated following the quake.

She said she did not have time to be scared but was more aware of how the quake made a difference to everyday life, with systems in array and continuous aftershocks.

“It’s more the things you can’t do. No one could go out, there was no power that day, and there were warnings about the water and sewerage systems.

“The earthquake was only the beginning of clearing up and tidying up. Everyone was worried about the city’s infrastructure.” • Diana Worthy