Devonport Civil Defence Centre moves to higher ground

April 6, 2006

A renewed concern over the threat of a tsunami hitting the shores of Auckland has prompted Devonport’s Civil Defence Welfare Centre to relocate to higher ground.

The new community safe haven will officially open this Saturday, April 8 with the unveiling of a new sign by Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Vaughan Clements and Rev. Sherri Weinberg, who are the welfare centre supervisors for the Devonport Civil Defence Centre, initiated the move and selected St Paul’s Church in Victoria Rd as the new location.

North Shore City Council’s Civil Defence Manager, David Keay, says the new facilities are better suited to care for the community in the threat of an emergency.

“Devonport’s geographical position means it could become isolated in any range of scenarios,” he says. “The new site will offer a safe place for people to go in the event of a serious emergency, especially if homes become uninhabitable for any reason.”

The event will run from 11am to 3pm during which Helen Clark will outline the government’s current and future initiatives for civil defence in New Zealand.

There will also be a series of demonstrations by North Shore Civil Defence - specifically from the Communications team, the Emergency Medical Unit and the Initial Response Unit - and a performance from the Devonport Kapa Haka group.

David Keay says he hopes the event will raise the profile of civil defence emergency management and increase the community’s understanding of what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency.

“We want to make the community aware that a disaster can happen at any time, and there will be people available who know how to deal with the situation,” he says.

There are currently nine Civil Defence Welfare Centres in North Shore City, with more than 500 volunteers who work alongside police, fire and ambulance services to help prepare the city for disaster and give support during an emergency.

If you would like to become a volunteer, please contact North Shore Civil Defence on 478 9696, or visit www.nscd.org.nz

ENDS

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