The call has gone out in Outram for volunteers.
An Incident Management Team (IMT) has been mooted for the area to help deal with large-scale fires, floods, earthquakes and other potential disasters.
Clutha-Taieri area response manager Senior Sergeant Al Dickie said if an incident like last year's June floods affected Outram, residents would need to be able to deal with the situation without having to rely on police and emergency services.
If the town was cut off, emergency services might not be immediately available, which was why it was important to have plans in place, he said.
"It's about community looking after themselves ... at critical times ... and having people to co-ordinate [others] in an emergency,'' he said.
People to co-ordinate, work logistics, plan and steer operations were being sought, as well as anyone else keen to be involved.
IMT groups were already established in other areas around Dunedin and Snr Sgt Dickie hoped teams would work together in an emergency.
A public meeting will be held at the Outram Fire Station on Tuesday for anyone keen to be involved.
