First Hastings community emergency hubs equipped and ready to go

One of the emergency welfare trailers that has been kitted out with supplies including sleeping bags, first aid and hygiene kits

Five community emergency hubs have been fully established in Hastings district, equipped with supplies and resilience plans to help rural communities in the event of any future disasters.

Following Cyclone Gabrielle when a number of rural areas became isolated, one important aspect of the recovery was to work with communities to set up hubs in their areas – places to gather and support each other in emergencies.

Over the past year, Hastings District Council has been rolling out the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Community Emergency Hub model for this work, for which council has secured funding from agencies including Ministry for Primary Industries, NZ Red Cross and the Department of Internal Affairs, among others.

The process has involved receiving community requests for hubs (currently numbering about 43), co-ordinating meetings, identifying, purchasing and installing emergency supplies, and conducting emergency resilience training.

Five hubs are now complete at Tutira, Waikoau, Kaiwaka Tahera, Maraekākaho and Putorino, and to get to this point multiple meetings have been held with each of the communities – including with community leaders who have volunteered their time to drive forward the plans for their community.

More hubs are at various stages of completion including at Waiwhare, Sherenden, Matapiro, and Kererū, for which draft resilience plans (outlining key considerations and actions when dealing with an emergency) and hub training sessions (to prepare hub leaders for what may be required to run the hubs) are being prepared for key community representatives.

Other areas that are currently being engaged with ahead of drawing up draft plans are Moteo Marae, Timi Kara Marae, Dartmoor, Puketapu, Esk, Waimārama, Waipuka/Ocean Beach and Maraetotara.

All hubs are being kitted out with supplies requested by the communities to meet their individual needs, comprising items such as radios, first aid kits, fuel containers, long-life food, blankets and more.

As part of the project, where rural halls are being used as hubs, council has also facilitated investment in upgrading buildings where needed to ensure they are sound and fit-for-purpose.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said she was very proud of the ongoing work to prepare the community for future disasters.

“The message from the Government in response to the national inquiry into severe weather events confirmed territorial authorities have a leading role to play in preparing for future disasters.

“Another important aspect to this is that it’s community-led. We are working with communities to identify their particular needs and to help prepare them for future events.”

Future community hubs have also been identified in urban areas along with rural. In addition, supplies such as bedding, towels and hygiene kits have been procured for the rapid establishment of Civil Defence Centres at Hastings Sports Centre and Flaxmere Community Centre, between them able to provide temporary accommodation for more than 500 people.

Two trailers equipped with supplies for about 30 people each have also been procured for council use during weather or other events.

One of these was used in June this year to provide resources for people displaced from their homes at Haumoana during the storm.

22 October 2024

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