Background

Among countries located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and the United States of America’s (USA) west coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California share similar hazards and are located at similar relational latitudes.

The two countries have collaborated over the years on emergency management to share ideas and best practices. For example, “[F]or the past 23 years, researchers from Massey University’s Joint Centre for Disaster Research (JCDR) in New Zealand have worked with officials in Washington state to better understand the disaster we have in common.” (Terbush, 2023)

The partnerships between the two countries compare hazards as well as emergency management at the national, regional, and local levels. Less explored are the similarities and differences between the transportation sector’s air- and seaports’ emergency management.

Researching the two countries’ air- and seaport emergency management practices could help identify planning gaps, facilitate information sharing, and forge partnerships benefiting the transportation sector, facility users, and the public served by the sector.

For example, NZ appears to have a more developed Space Weather Response Plan (National Emergency Management Agency, 2024) than the USA’s Federal Operating Concept for Impending Space Weather Events (US Department of Homeland Security, 2019). NZ also successfully conducted its first national space weather exercise in November 2025 (National Emergency Response Agency, 2025). One area to explore would be if NZ air- and seaports have developed their own space weather response plans to take advantage of the national coordinated response, as space weather is not a hazard discussed in USA airport emergency management workgroups.

Scope

Physical Location

Ring of Fire countries of Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and the United States of America’s (USA) west coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California. (Time allowing: Alaska and Hawai’i.)

Transportation Sector: Large International Airports

Transportation Sector: Large Seaports

Emergency Management