New team will add to Taranaki?s disaster response capability | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

The formation of a Taranaki New Zealand Response Team (NZ-RT) was agreed to at a meeting of the Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management Group held on March 13, 2007.

The response team is a joint venture between the Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and the New Zealand Red Cross.

The New Zealand Red Cross already has an Emergency Response Unit (ERU) based in New Plymouth which has been fully trained in urban search and rescue, general rescue and first aid. The team will shortly undergo a rigorous registration process which ensures urban search and rescue response teams in New Zealand meet strict guidelines which are nationally recognised.

Once the registration process is complete the Taranaki NZ-RT will undergo further training to suit the needs of the Taranaki region, which may include skills in areas such as flood and storm response and welfare activities. The Taranaki NZ-RT will become a valuable asset in the Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management Group's operational arm for disaster response. The Taranaki NZ-RT will also be available to assist other regions of New Zealand during a disaster and is likely to be in high demand due to the high level of first aid skills they will have.

Senior Emergency Management Officer Mike Langford said that a major emergency could strike Taranaki at any time and people may have little warning or time to prepare.

"While the development of a Taranaki NZ-RT is a major step forward in being able to help the Taranaki community during a disaster, it is important to remember that the emergency services will be in high demand and responding to serious situations where life is at risk during an emergency.

People must understand that in the early stages of disasters, households may have to cope on their own for three days or more. "The need for households to be prepared to look after themselves has been graphically demonstrated in recent disasters in New Zealand and overseas. We want every household to have a family plan, survival kit and getaway kit. Often households will already have things such as torches, first aid kits and barbecues that make up these kits. So it's simply a matter of organising what you already have into a kit, storing emergency water and each week buying a few of the extra items that you need such as canned or dried food to build up a survival kit," said Mr Langford.

Karen Lawson, New Zealand Red Cross Area Manager, said that they are looking for volunteers to fill roles within emergency management. "While the Taranaki NZ-RT may not suit everyone, there are many other areas where volunteers can help during a civil defence emergency," said Karen Lawson. If people want further information on the Taranaki NZ-RT or other volunteer roles, they may contact Karen at the Taranaki Service Centre - 06 759 4697, 0800 REDCROSS, or newplymouth@redcross.org.nz