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Friday, 5 April 2013

Information Session to get migrants disaster ready

Upper Hutt Neighbourhood Support, Civil Defence, New Zealand Fire Service, and Upper Hutt City Council Community Development Team’s Settlement Support have joined forces to get Upper Hutt migrants disaster ready.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 05 APR 2013—Imagine you are in a country where you do not speak the language and an earthquake strikes. Your house is damaged and water and power services are not working. For people new to New Zealand the language barrier may make it even harder to manage life after a disaster. Many also do not have the support of family members or community connections.

The migrants in our community come from every continent with very different terrains and natural occurrences. Each country manages disaster in various different ways. As New Zealand is on a fault line, a number of services are very aware, proactive, and organised in comparison to countries that do not suffer these events often. People from other countries are invited to learn what local services have to offer and to learn from them how to get ready and get through.

On Wednesday 8 May at 7.00 pm, at the Upper Hutt Library, there will be an information session for newcomers to our region presented by Neighbourhood Support, Civil Defence and the New Zealand Fire Service. It will focus on being prepared in case of a natural disaster and the importance of being connected to your community.

“I think we have all learned something from the events in Christchurch”, said Settlement Support Officer, Cecilia Titulaer. “I believe it is important to get these services together to prepare the migrant community of our city in case of a disaster. The first point of contact, if something does happen, is often the people immediately around you. So getting to know who lives around you is very important.”

Peter Walker from Civil Defence reminds us that “in a disaster, the emergency services and your local council will be extremely busy. Help may be limited for up to three days. You could be without water, electricity, gas and telephones. We can’t prevent disasters but you can take some simple steps to ensure you will be able to be prepared and be able to cope. All of us must think ahead and be prepared. Storing emergency water, knowing where survival items in your house are and having a household emergency plan are key steps to take.”

“Neighbourhood Support is all about connecting neighbours and encouraging them to communicate. It’s about building safe, resilient and caring communities”, says Kathryn Flannery, Coordinator for Neighbourhood Support for Upper Hutt. “Knowing your neighbours empowers people to support each other in times of need.”

To express your interest in attending or if you would like more information on this free session contact Cecilia Titulaer on 527 2132 or settlement@uhcc.govt.nz.

About Upper Hutt City Council

Upper Hutt City Council is the steward and custodian of Upper Hutt City, providing governance, infrastructure, and community services and resources, and promoting opportunity in the city for business, recreation, lifestyle, and leisure. Upper Hutt City is located 30 km north-east of Wellington City (41°07'34" S, 175°04'06" E) and boasts 70% of the region’s parks and reserves, along with state-of-the-art entertainment and leisure facilities.

ENDS

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