Emergency preparedness in the Eastern Bays

As demonstrated so graphically in recent weather events, the official emergency and support services may not be able to respond to every issue and will have to prioritise. This is especially true of the Eastern Bays as we are easily isolated and represent a small part of Hutt City. This means communities like ours will have to pitch in and look after each other.

The most important thing is to keep up to date and informed. The failure of virtually all forms of communication and power have been a feature of Cyclone Gabrielle, with many having to rely on radio broadcasts as their sole source of information, and unable to call out through any channel. A battery powered AM (for better coverage) or FM radio receiver is a cheap addition to your emergency kit, and a solar charger for your phone a must have.

All the information you need is available through the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO) website http:// wremo.nz

Locally, we have the Eastbourne Community Board Facebook page, the website Eastbourne. nz, The Eastbourne Herald. and a digital noticeboard at the library, but these all depend on networks being operational. The best way to manage an emergency is to prepare for an emergency.

There are four phases to dealing with emergencies. Two of these occur before the actual event. 1. Reduction - removing hazards and causes. What can you do to reduce the consequences of an earthquake (anchor your furniture), fire (keep trees away from your house) or flooding (keep drains cleared)? 2. Readiness - have a family plan, have resources ready such as an escape bag, food, water, emergency toilet, spare medicines. 3. Response - carry out your plan, don’t wait to be told what to do. 4. Recovery - have a plan and resources to deal with the aftermath, including how you will manage if you cannot return to your home.

The Eastern Bays have three Community Emergency Hubs; Point Howard Playcentre, Wellesley College and Muritai School. These are a place for the community to congregate and coordinate our response to assist each other. If the Hub becomes unsuitable, we can move to a better venue. Each Hub has a basic start-up kit consisting of an AM/FM radio, maps and a Civil Defence VHF radio that allows communication with the wider official response if phone lines are down. It does not necessarily have other resources such as food, medicines, clothing, bedding etc. These must come from the community. The Hubs may also be busy looking after their students and not able to be active for several days.

Lowry Bay also has a container devoted to civil defence, and other bays may have resources. We are also lucky to have the Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade locally, although they may be called away from the bays to support higher priority work. Red Cross also have resources in Eastbourne. Contact the residents' association for your bay to find out more.

What To Do In An Emergency

• Your first priority is to look after yourself and your household.

• If you can help or need help, go out and check with your neighbours.

• Check your neighbourhood to see what can be done.

There are some water tanks available (Wellesley and Muritai) but generally households should make sure you have your own supplies for the first 7 days. 200 litre tanks are available for around $100 through the libraries.

People may have noticed emergency water shipping containers at Lowry Bay and Days Bay. These do not contain water, but hold the equipment to distribute water to the community either by tanker or pumping from local sources. These may take up to 8 days to be activated by council staff.

The Eastern Bays also have our own emergency radio network, with stations in every bay operated by volunteers. These are all capable of running off battery power. Visit the WREMO website https://wremo.nz for detailed guidance.

• Once you have made sure you and those near you are safe, or if you need support that cannot be provided locally, you can go to your local Hub. You may be one of the first there, in which case you can use the resources provided to organise yourselves and provide support to the community. The hubs’ role will be to help people understand what is happening, solve problems using resources and people skills the community has available, and provide a safe gathering place for members of the community to support one another. from