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Taskforce Kiwi deploys in wake of cyclone, flooding
From the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods to Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle and its aftermath, successive rotations of Taskforce Kiwi volunteers have come swiftly to the aid of communities in need.
From flood relief in Auckland to relief and recovery work in Hawke’s Bay following Cyclone Gabrielle, Taskforce Kiwi teams have completed over 4,000 hours of skilled volunteer work, the equivalent of 500 workdays, assisting communities since the beginning of February.
Over the past nine weeks Taskforce Kiwi teams have carried out a massive volume of tasks, including debris removal, plant operations, missing person searches, welfare checks, damage assessments, aid delivery by ground and air, needs assessments, and administrative support.
Over four days in the direct wake of the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods, 18 Taskforce Kiwi personnel (including four from Disaster Relief Australia) volunteered 467 hours of hard graft, clearing 29 flooded homes, disposing of 20 truckloads of debris, filling 13 skip bins, completing 59 damage assessments, and contributing $24,284 of skilled labour to the relief and recovery effort.
Then, within a matter of days, as Cyclone Gabrielle moved across Aotearoa, the Taskforce Kiwi (TFK) team was on the road in Auckland, delivering communications equipment to 13 operations centres from Ōtara in the south to Warkworth in the north, on behalf of Auckland Emergency Management.
TFK personnel rapidly deployed to carry out debris clearance and damage assessment tasks across West Auckland in Henderson, Swanson, Ranui and Huapai.
The organisation’s area of operations expanded quickly to include Hawkes Bay, with international partners from Disaster Relief Australia, Team Rubicon Canada, and REACT Disaster Response providing on-ground support, having travelled from around the world to roll up their sleeves and help in relief efforts.
Recovery operations included a varied range of tasks, including impact and needs assessments, plant operations, debris clearance, route reconnaissance, aircraft loading, and ground-based logistical support to impacted communities across a wide area, alongside iwi and Civil Defence.
There have been some big acts of generosity. Domino’s Pizza and Give for Good, for example, raised over $50,000 for Taskforce Kiwi’s cyclone relief operations, allowing the team to continue to provide on-ground support as the recovery process continues across Hawke’s Bay.
In a recent LinkedIn post, TFK paid tribute to its volunteers and supporters:
“A massive shout out to our volunteers who have put their hands up over the last two months to deploy, taking time away from their lives and families to help people they’ve never met. Our team remains on the ground in Hawke’s Bay throughout the Easter break, doing everything they can to help Kiwis get back on their feet.
“A huge thank you to all our supporters who have made our work possible: Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association, Ranfurly Veterans’ Trust, Dave
Letele, Give for Good, Domino’s, Clare Foundation, Steadfast Group, Kathmandu, Pacific Jets, Strategic Sourcing, Garmin, TrackMe NZ, Mitre 10, Hirepool Vehicle Rentals, Harrison Grierson, Airlink, Rotary Club of Havelock, North Hawkes Bay Racing, NZ Safety Blackwoods, and The ToolShed.”
To find out more about Taskforce Kiwi or to get involved, visit https:// www.taskforcekiwi.org/
