Status Green Issue 39 November 2017 Spring has finally arrived bringing warmer days and a break from the incessant rain! The sector has been a buzz with numerous reviews, the election and of course the swearing in of our new Minister of Civil Defence, Hon Kris Faafoi. Regionally we have been busy making preparations for the roil out of the new national alerting platform Emergency Mobile Alerts (which you can find out about in this issue) and continuing to deliver on our annual work programme. For some time now the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management have been leading the development of a new nationwide emergency alerting platform. The new platform uses cell broadcasting and if your phone is turned on, capable of receiving alerts and in the target area, you should receive the alerts. You don't have to download an app or subscribe to the service. Emergency Mobile Alerts use a dedicated signal, so they are more reliable in an emergency when mobile and internet traffic could overload the network. Emergency Mobile Alerts are an additional channel to help keep people safe in an emergency and does not replace our Bay of Plenty text alerting platform or suite of alerting tools. As always the message is if you feel your life is in danger, don't wait for an official warning. Take immediate action. Over the next few weeks the BOP CDEM Group will be running a campaign to educate the community about the new platform and encourage people to check if their phones are capable of receiving alerts. You can find out more about this at www.civildefence.govt.nz as well as a range of resources to help you gain a better understanding of the system and how it works. Bunnings supporting communities to be better prepared!Bunnings Whakatane and their 'Stay Safe, Stay Informed' display! Last month was Get Ready Week and across the region schools, businesses, families, households and individuals took the time to get prepared! Local Bunnings stores across the Bay of Plenty also got on board, hosting displays and encouraging their local communities and customers to make a plan and be prepared. The BOP CDEM Group provided resources to support the Stay Safe, Stay Informed campaign. Residents were encouraged to get to know their neighbours, know their local radio stations, follow local council and Civil Defence social media platforms and check if their phones were Emergency Mobile Alert capable. A huge thanks to all the businesses and organisations in the Bay for getting on board and working together to get our community better prepared. World Tsunami Day, Sunday November 5thSunday November the 5th is World Tsunami Day and while tsunami are rare they can affect a lot of people, especially communities living in coastal areas. The whole of New Zealand is at risk of earthquakes and all of our coastline is at risk of tsunami. This month we will be using social media to provide information about tsunami, what they are and how people can be prepared. We will be using the Tsunami 101 series (www.happens.nz/assets/campaign-resources/tsunami-101-posters.pdf) to ensure people are better informed about the hazard as well as encouraging people to visit BayHazards and check if they live in a tsunami evacuation zone. Preparedness tip: Have to leave home in a hurry?In an emergency, some houses, streets and neighbourhoods may not be safe to stay in and you may have to leave home in a hurry If your street was evacuated where would you go? What would you take? What about your pets? Do you have neighbours that might need your help? Pack a getaway bag Have a getaway bag for everyone in your family with warm clothes, a bottle of water, snacks, copies of important documents and photo ID. Remember any medications you might need and keep your first aid kit, torch, radio and batteries somewhere you can grab them in a hurry. Decide where to go Decide where you will go (and make sure everyone in your family knows, in case you're not all together). Your evacuation place will probably be with friends or family, so make sure they know your plans. Check your zone If you live in a tsunami zone, make sure your evacuation place is outside of the zone (check BayHazards to see your map) Remember your pets If you have to leave home, take your pets with you. If it's not safe for you, it's not safe for them. Make sure your evacuation place will take your pets or have contact details for kennels, catteries and pet friendly motels. Hazard of the Month: GeothermalGeothermal systems are areas which are heated by the earth's natural heat, most often associated with volcanoes. They are usually represented on the surface by features such as hot springs, geysers, mud pools and warm ground. Geothermal systems present a range of hazards, especially from burns and scalds however this can be managed by sticking to formed paths and observing signage and warnings. In the Bay of Plenty there are numerous geothermal systems particularly in Rotorua, Kawerau and Waimangu/Rotomahana/Tarawera. Other geothermal systems include White Island (Whakaari), Whale Island (Moutohora) and Mokoia Island. In some areas geo and hydro-thermal eruptions can occur but these are not very common. Important date: MCDEM have announced the National Emergency Management Conference will be held at Te Papa in Wellington on 30th-31st May 2018. The conference will be held in partnership with the Australiasian Natural Hazards Management Conference and will be a fantastic opportunity for those in the sector to keep updated on emerging trends, new research and learn more about activities nationally and regionally. |