Fire and Emergency New Zealand continues to closely monitor the weather warnings across the country to inform where it sends specialist resources.

So far 21 weather related call outs have been logged throughout the country since midnight, Tuesday 3 May. These were mostly minor incidents in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington.

Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally says Fire and Emergency is sending specialist Urban Search and Rescue resources to Nelson today in addition to placing USAR teams in Northland yesterday. They are also ready to respond to Taranaki if needed.

"It’s important to be prepared, and to have these specialist resources on standby in the areas that will potentially experience the worst of this severe weather as is currently forecast for Northland, Taranaki, Tasman and Marlborough," he says.

Brendan Nally also reminds people to prepare for any power outages, and with that, any fire risks associated to it.

"Often during severe weather events we experience power outages, and it’s really important to be prepared for this," he says.

If the power does go off, he says people should switch off the mains to ensure electricity doesn’t cause a fire.

"Make sure you have your torches ready with full batteries," he says.

"Avoid using candles where possible as they are a fire risk. However, if you don’t have any alternative lighting available, make sure you put them on a flat, heat resistant surface, and blow them out when you leave a room.

"Now is also a great time to check your smoke alarms are working. If you push the button, and it beeps, you know it’s ready to protect you and your household," he says.

You can find more information on how to prepare for severe weather here: Extreme weather events: safety tips and support | Fire and Emergency New Zealand

For the latest weather warnings follow MetService, and follow NZ Civil Defence and your local Civil Defence page for emergency warnings and advice.

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