Sirens were heard echoing across the Western Bay of Plenty last night as police officers, firefighters and St John staff took to the streets.

But far from being a mass emergency, the authorities were doing their bit to collect donations for local food banks.

Emergency services were out and about last night collecting food from the community. Photos: Bay of Plenty Civil Defence, via Facebook.

Significant collections were made which will now go towards the Salvation Army's food banks in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, along with other local food banks in Tauranga, Te Puke, Papamoa and Katikati.

'We are grateful for the community's assistance in helping us to help our communities and the Salvation Army Food Bank and other local food banks at this time of the year,” says Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton.

'We would also like to thank our collectors from the Western Bay of Plenty Emergency Services along with Bay of Plenty Emergency Management, Community Patrols New Zealand, Maori Wardens and other volunteers that assisted us on the night.

'We hope that through the donations of the Western Bay of Plenty communities, families will be better supported as we move through the Christmas period and in to the New Year.”