Members FAQ

What is Selwyn Gets Ready?

A purpose built website where residents can securely record their contact details and any special needs, resources & skills they want to share, to help their local community look after each other in an emergency.

We are right in the process of livening up a smarter version of FAQ – watch this space. Sorry Sue, for delay.



  • New to the System
    For anyone who is using the Gets Ready system.
  • What is Selwyn Gets Ready?

    A purpose built website where residents can securely record their contact details and any special needs, resources & skills they want to share, to help their local community look after each other in an emergency.

    It's also a website that Selwyn Council use to share weather warnings, water quality warnings with members.

    It is maintained by residents, for residents and you can be involved. Contact a Community Response Team member in your area.

  • Why Join

    Neighbourhood Support is all about getting to know your neighbours which creates a more caring, safer neighbourhood.  There are many benefits which come from this including getting to know who’s living around you and interacting and socialising more often, feeling more comfortable in your environment, receiving information about emergency preparedness and response and there is a very real connection between Neighbourhood Support and crime prevention/reduction.

  • Privacy - who can see my details?

    Privacy is paramount to us and the only people who can see your details on our website are myself and your street coordinator, and area coordinator if your area has one, so access to details is very limited.  Your details may be shared with emergency services if needed, but otherwise we will not give your details to anyone else. (OK, you are right,... those hosting the system could see your info, but they've got other things on their mind, like making sure they keep the system going really well!)

  • How safe is my information?

    It is protected by username & passwords. It is available only to your Neighbourhood Support Group members, your local Community Response Team and Selwyn District Council Emergency Management staff.
    Details are encrypted by https secure transports.
    Remember – only offer the information you are happy to share.

  • What is expected of me? I'm just a member of the system.

    As a member of a street group there's not too much expected of you.  We hope you will support others in your group if they need it and that you will keep your details updated with your coordinator if they change.  It is also nice if you join in any street group activities to get to know those who live around you, but nothing is compulsory.

  • How do I contact a real person?

    My name is Sue Jenkins, and I'm the Neighbourhood Support Co-ordinator for Selwyn District.

    More info coming.

  • Why not just use the Neighborly system?

    Neighbourly is really really different to the Gets Ready system. Here's a few of the key differences.

    Neighborly is designed as a money maker, will have lots of ads once the honeymoon is over.

    Neighborly promise to never share your data. We promise to share your information. Why? Because we are about communities working together to cope with disaster and your information needs to be shared with your emergency operations centre.

    That's just for starters. Oh, by the way, it seems that the advertising you see in the neighborly system is targeted to your location. That sounds strangely like sharing some aspects of your information with advertisers. Maybe we've got that bit wrong!

  • What are the advantages of being registered in Gets Ready?
    • You can be alerted very quickly if a boil water notice is issued for your specific water supply.
    • You can receive a flood warning if you live near a river.
    • You will receive warnings relating to severe weather.
    • Emails and text messages can be sent to keep everyone advised about local issues of concern ie burglaries in your street.
    • Your neighbourhood will become more connected and a safer, and friendlier place to live.
  • Getting into it
    More for street co-ordinators
  • What is the role of a co-ordinator?
    • Look after your family first.
    • Never put yourself in danger.
    • Contact the residents in your group.
    • Check on those most vulnerable first.
    • Identify any needs…..ie no heating, no food, injuries etc
    • Report back to your local Community Response Team
    • Pass updates from your Community Response Team back to your residents.
  • How do I start a neighbourhood support group?

    Starting up a Neighbourhood is easy and it’s FREE.  The first step is to ...

     

    More info coming - we are developing these new FAQ's presently - June 2015.

  • As a street co-ordinator - what is expected of me?

    A street coordinator would give about 10 hours A YEAR to running their street group, unless there is a major emergency.  If this occurs you would be the contact for your group as far as receiving information from me.  It is hoped once the group is up and running you will organise one or two social occasions per year and welcome any new families moving into your street.  As any database is only as good as the information held in it, keeping details up to date once or twice a year is promoted and this is easy done by either changing the details on the web site yourself, or getting them to me.

  • How secure is the Gets Ready System?

    The Gets Ready system uses https web security. On top of that there are layers surrounding passwords that make hacking very difficult. If there is enthusiasm from you, the users, we can make the system even harder to get into. We could have a username that is a number, then a password followed by the user being asked to respond to one of three questions they have established. (Refer the Kiwi Bank login process). However, unlike Kiwi Bank, we don't have money to steal, so are unlikely to be challenged by thieves / hackers looking to gain by their hacking activities. There is always a trade off between security and making it really hard for ordinary Neighbourhood Support users to get in and do what needs to be done. We have been running for about 4 years now and are confident in our systems.

  • What happens if the building where the server is... gets hit by ?

    We are making use of new, powerful multi-site hosting. That way we are not reliant on just one server in one town that got hit by a volcano or earthquake.

  • For Area level / Community Response Teams
    There's settings like boundaries that are set by CRT's. Some information is being developed for your teams.
  • How to set up a new sub-area?

    You must be logged in. You must have area level privileges. Then you can edit an area and create a new sub-area.

    We've found it works well to operate via town name NE or townname SW from Street one (working clockwise) to street two.

    For example

    Darfield Rural NW Kimberley Road to railway line.

    Names are best kept in a pattern that allows them to sort alphabetically in ways that help people find their way around.

  • Administrators might read these
    For the top level people in the system, administering and keeping things working sweetly.
    There are no questions in this category

What is the role of a co-ordinator?

Look after your family first.
Never put yourself in danger.
Contact the residents in your group.
Check on those most vulnerable first.
Identify any needs…..ie no heating, no food, injuries etc
Report back to your local Community Response Team
Pass updates from your Community Response Team back to your residents.

How safe is my information?

It is protected by username & passwords. It is available only to your neighbourhood support group members, your local Community Response Team and Selwyn District Council Emergency Management staff.
Details are encrypted by https secure transports.
Remember – only offer the information your are happy to share.

What are the advantages of being registered in Selwyn Gets Ready?

Your can be alerted very quickly if a boil water notice is issued for your water supply.
You can receive a flood warning if you live near a river.
Emails and text messages can be sent to keep everyone advised about local issues of concern ie burglaries in your street
Your neighbourhood will become more connected and a safer, and friendlier place to live.