Editorial: Are we quake ready in Bay?

Yesterday's 4.2 earthquake is a sobering reminder that the big one can happen here, any time.

I was in my office when first alerted by a text message seconds after the quake happened. One my first priorities was ensuring we got the news on our website quickly.

Of course, what we experienced yesterday is nothing like Christchurch. But it is the biggest in the Bay of Plenty this year and it sparked plenty of comment online.

It's been just over six months since the devastating, and deadly, quake struck the Garden City.

Like you, I have watched the horrific images and stories of heartbreak on the television and read them in the newspaper, and from the safety of the living room it's always been easy for me to think it won't happen here.

Last year, in August, this paper published the results of a survey showing just how prepared locals were when it came to natural disasters.

Of the 250 people surveyed, only 20 per cent said they had an evacuation plan in place and just 29 per cent had put together a survival kit.

I have for some time thought this number would be higher since the big Christchurch quake and a new survey backs this up.

Civil Defence says Bay people are better prepared than ever before, with just over two-thirds of locals surveyed in a new national poll indicating they had survival plans in place. This is a whopping increase over the 19 per cent who said they did in a survey last year.

The same report reveals 34 per cent of people are fully prepared and 87 per cent at least have some emergency items.

I am in that camp. We don't have the full emergency kit at home ready to go, but do have an emergency supply of essential items such as water, radio, and torch.

An examination of the information supplied by Geonet shows how widely felt yesterday's quake was and the experts warn there are more to come.

I think there has been plenty of publicity over being prepared and now it's up to individuals to take action. Clearly, I need to be better prepared - and will be taking steps to ensure I am.