The Local - Mt VictoriaIn the event of a major emergency, like an earthquake, who will help our community? Who is in charge? The answer is: you, or someone like you.
And the place you’ll probably end up going to is a Community Emergency Hub, like the one located at Clyde Quay School.
“Community Emergency Hubs contain the basic supplies to enable a community to organise a response,” says Katie Sharp, Community Resilience and Recovery Advisor for the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO).
This includes stationery, maps, a VHF Radio and a guide to setting up the Hub.
How all this works is the subject of a workshop taking place in September, for the community to practise emergency response.
During a disaster, everyone needs to pitch in to help one another.
“The Community Emergency Hub model is based on international best practice and evidence of what communities do during disasters,” says Sharp.
“We saw this after the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake and again during Cyclone Gabrielle where communities naturally came together to support one another.
“In a major emergency such as a large earthquake, emergency services will be stretched and will have to prioritise the most urgent callouts.
“The topography of the Wellington region also means roads and access routes are likely to be blocked or inaccessible.
“It will be a challenge for people, including emergency services and responding agencies to move around the region. In this situation your neighbours and the people that live closest to you will be your most immediate and ongoing support.”
You may be surprised to learn that the Community Emergency Hub at Clyde Quay School is not stocked with emergency supplies.
“There are no supplies such as bedding, food and water stored at Community Emergency Hubs. Our communities are already full of resources - beds with blankets on them and pantries with food in them, and sheds with tools. In an emergency, communities can work together to gather and share the supplies that they need,” says Sharp.
Everyone is welcome to attend the free WREMO workshop on 8 September.
“We encourage everyone to come along to our Emergency Response Practices,” says Sharp.
“At the practices, we use an interactive earthquake scenario and practise opening the Community Emergency Hub. It is a chance to get to know your neighbours and talk more about how Mt Victoria will respond as a community.
“Anyone can be part of the Community Emergency Hub on the day. Everyone has a unique set of skills that can and will benefit the community in an emergency, so it is important to share that knowledge and experience within the community.”
The Emergency Practice Workshop is on 8 September, 3-5pm, at the Quaker House on Moncrieff Street, Mt Victoria, Wellington.
More information, and to register.
