Red Cross Names Emergency Team for Queensland Floods

New Zealand Red Cross has named the four-person team being sent to boost the Australian Red Cross coordination capacity in the Queensland floods.

Team leader Patrick Cummings (New Zealand Red Cross National Retail Manager and former Regional Manager, based in Hamilton), and members Graeme Langford (New Zealand Red Cross Northern Emergency Management Officer, based in Auckland), Nancy Kareroa (New Zealand Red Cross Northland Area Manager based in Whangarei), Sally Wast (New Zealand Red Cross Southland Area Manager based in Invercargill).

Mr Cummings is being briefed in Wellington today (Wednesday) and will fly tomorrow (Thursday). Remaining team members will be briefed tomorrow (Thursday) and fly Friday.

The team will perform management functions to support Australian Red Cross emergency coordination. Their exact tasks will be determined after arrival.

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

New Zealanders unable to contact missing family in the affected areas should first ring the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade hotline on 04 439 8000. Alternatively they can complete a form on the Red Cross website (www.redcross.org.nz) which New Zealand Red Cross will send to Australian Red Cross.

ENDS

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