31 March 2021

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NEMA News

NEMA appoints new Deputy Chief Executive, Emergency Management

NEMA is delighted to announce the appointment of Gary Knowles as its new Deputy Chief Executive, Emergency Management.

Gary was a member of the New Zealand Police for 42 years and worked in a variety of operational and leadership roles in emergency management, intelligence, criminal investigations, and senior commands in New Zealand and internationally

National Emergency Management Conference | Hui Taumata o Te Uepū Whakahaere Haumaru

25 – 27 Haratua (May) 2021, Te Papa Tongarewa, Te Whanganui-a-Tara

The National Emergency Management Conference will be held on 25-27 May at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, and will include the Conference Dinner on the evening of 26 May. This year's theme is 'Building Safe and Resilient Communities: The Future of the Emergency Management System'.

We’ve already secured a range of topline speakers, including the Hon Kiritapu Allan - Minister for Emergency Management, Dr Ashley Bloomfield - Director General of Health, Dame Juliet Gerrard - Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, and all members of the Emergency Services Leadership Board.

Day one will be dedicated to providing a platform for Māori and indigenous perspectives on emergency management – a theme that will carry through the rest of the conference.

Days two and three will build on the first day through plenary and breakout sessions, in which we’ll explore how we work together – through partnerships, co-creation, and collective effort, across a broad range of organisations, sectors, and communities – to support improved emergency management outcomes for individuals and communities.

We’re also looking forward to Emergency Management Awards Dinner on the evening of the 26 May. Information on the Awards criteria and details on how to enter is available on the NEMA website.   

Registrations for the conference will open on Thursday 8 April.

Emergency Management Awards

We’re also looking forward to Emergency Management Awards Dinner on the evening of the 26th. In addition to the Long Service, The Ministerial Awards for Contribution to Emergency Management in New Zealand and Innovation awards, two new awards have been created this year:

The Collaboration Award recognises exemplary individual or organisational Emergency Management collaboration, across any aspect of the 4Rs – risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery. This award is a combined NEMA and FENZ award recognising collaboration outside of normal existing relationships, working together through challenges and overcoming adversity.

The Manaaki Award is for showing respect and hospitality to others in a way that upholds their mana and enhances our own, across any aspect of the 4Rs – risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery.  This award is a NEMA Chief Executive award recognising exceptional Manaaki in the Emergency Management environment.

Further Information on the Awards criteria and details on how to enter can be also be found on our website. Nominations, which are open now, close on 30 April 2021.

We’ll continue to keep you updated about the conference and awards dinner as planning progresses.

NZ EMAT third intake complete

This year’s round of recruitment and induction training for the New Zealand Emergency Management Assistance Team is now complete.

The second, and larger, ‘capstone’ exercise was held over a 40-hour period and was based on a large earthquake. It was a true multi agency collaboration with 90 volunteers from across central and local government. 

The feedback from participants and candidates on the course, as well as those that played a role in exercise control or as role players has been overwhelmingly positive and demonstrates that NEMA is lifting capability across the sector through collaboration.

There are now over 40 trained EMAT cadre members from a range of agencies trained and ready for deployment. Find out more about NZ EMAT on the NEMA website. 

EMAT exercise role players and exercise control at Camp Wainui

East Cape and Kermadec earthquakes and tsunami response

On 5 March, the NEMA National Coordination Centre (NCC), which was already activated to support the response to the COVID-19 resurgence in Auckland, pivoted to manage the multiple earthquake events that resulted in tsunami warnings and advisories.

A M7.3 East Cape earthquake at 2.27am triggered the first tsunami warning for a Land and Marine threat which passed at 6am. At 6.41am, a M7.4 earthquake near the Kermadec Islands then triggered a tsunami advisory for a Beach and Marine threat. Whilst the earlier advisory was still in effect, a M8.1 earthquake struck again near the Kermadec Islands at 8.28am. This triggered a new tsunami warning for a Land and Marine threat for several areas of north-eastern New Zealand.

The tsunami waves from all three earthquakes were detected on the New Zealand DART buoy network. GNS Science reported that the New Zealand DART buoy network greatly assisted the Tsunami Expert Panel with reducing the forecasting uncertainties and in particular enabled a much quicker cancellation of the threat from the M8.1 Kermadec earthquake.

CDEM Groups and national agencies activated in response. The NEMA National Controller held teleconferences with CDEM Group controllers at regular intervals throughout the event to ensure effective coordination, consistency in response, and direct access to GNS Science advice.

NEMA issued an initial Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) to the areas requiring evacuation (i.e. those areas that were under Land threat). Some CDEM Groups later followed with their own EMA messages; some expanded the target areas for evacuations and others issued alerts for areas that were under Beach and Marine threat. Affected communities evacuated for a number of hours and were allowed to return from 1:15pm when the warning was downgraded to a Beach and Marine threat before being cancelled at 3:45pm. There was no damage on land reported.

The NCC was stood down for both the COVID-19 resurgence and the tsunami response at 5pm on 5 March. NEMA is in the process of conducting an internal review of the response to the three tsunami events. NEMA’s review process will include discussion with GNS and the CDEM Groups.

National set of CIMS Role cards released

A national set of CIMS 3rd edition Role Cards were released to the sector at the end of February. These cards have been developed for the emergency management sector by the sector. NEMA thanks agencies, CDEM Groups and private training providers for their support and contributions to this work.

The Role Cards are available for New Zealand-wide use in readiness and
response. It is important to note that the cards are ‘tools’; they are designed to
supplement training already received, not replace training. We encourage organisations to adopt these approved cards to promote consistency across the emergency management sector.

The Role Cards are available as PDFs on the NEMA website and have been distributed to agencies.

Select Committee thanks NEMA 

Months of work paid off earlier in March when NEMA appeared in front of the Governance and Administration Select Committee for its Annual Review hearing.

NEMA Chief Executive, Carolyn Schwalger was supported by Alan Cassidy, Deputy Chief Executive Strategic Enablement; Roger Ball, Manager National Operations; David Coetzee, Manager Regional Partnerships; Jenna Rogers, Manager Analysis and Planning, and Rachel Hyde, Chief Advisor.

Carolyn, Jenna and Roger answered questions on various aspects of NEMA’s work, including the use of Emergency Mobile Alerts during the 5 March earthquake and tsunami sequence; progress with South Island Alpine Fault earthquake response planning; public education in schools; balancing resourcing across risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery; and the coordination and roles of volunteers in emergencies.

The Committee Chairperson, Barbara Kuriger, closed the hearing by acknowledging that NEMA is new and had a challenging year, and by conveying the sincere thanks and appreciation of the committee for everything NEMA does.

Carolyn responded by thanking the Committee for its interest and support and promising to convey its message of thanks and appreciation not only to NEMA but also to the CDEM Groups which she described as a “key partner” for NEMA.

A recording of the live stream is available here. NEMA’s hearing starts at 00:42 minutes into the video, after the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) hearing.

Sector Spotlights

Vacancies

NEMA Vacancies

• Senior Advisor, Infrastructure Resilience 
• Senior Advisor, Emergency Services Leadership Board 
• Advisor, Visual Designer 
• Senior Advisor, Hazard Risk Management and Analysis 
• Advisor, Financial Assurance

Find out more about these roles, and apply on the NEMA website. 

To list a Civil Defence Emergency Management sector role, please email the National Emergency Management Agency communications team. We'll include your listing on our website and in upcoming editions of e-Bulletin.

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eBulletin provides newsworthy updates about Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) and related information from the sector. It is for people in the emergency management sector and/or those with an interest in emergency management. eBulletin shares news, information, case studies, best practice, research and reports, and celebrates successes.

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• celebrations of successes.