Red Cross to Send Emergency Staff to Queensland

New Zealand Red Cross is preparing to send a three-person management team to join Australian Red Cross counterparts helping in the Queensland floods.

The team, whose composition is still being finalised, will be briefed in Wellington and is expected to fly to Australia in about 48 hours.

"We're sending some of our emergency management staff to boost Australian Red Cross coordination capacity after the dramatic worsening of the situation since yesterday," said New Zealand Red Cross International Operations Manager Andrew McKie.

"The team will perform management functions to support Australian Red Cross emergency coordination."

New Zealand Red Cross' team is expected to spend 10 days at the Australian Red Cross coordination centre in Brisbane, with possible rotation of fresh staff.

Meanwhile, Red Cross is directing offers of donations to the Queensland Premier's Disaster Response Appeal (http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html).

"We're encouraging people to donate cash to the established Queensland fund fund rather than goods because it means the right aid can be given more quickly and can often be bought locally to support economic recovery," said Mr McKie. (For more details, click here.)

ENDS

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