25 February 2011

Five Hawke’s Bay emergency operations logistics staff will be going to Wellington today to assist the National Crisis Management Centre with their logistics functions for the Canterbury earthquake response.

The staff going are: Te Aroha Cook from Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, Carol Gilbertson and John Keenan from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and Des Jane and Russell McCracken from Wairoa District Council. The staff will work in Wellington for up to 5 days.

Corinne Hamlin from Wairoa District’s building inspectors team will also be deployed to Christchurch on Sunday. Angela Reade and Monique Hewitt from Napier City civil Defence have been working in Christchurch for the past two days.

Another 3 staff are on standby if required: Bruce Kitto [CHBDC], Tim Allan [WDC] and Charlotte Drury [HBRC].

“We were impressed by the willingness of our skilled Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management personal to volunteer to help with the response to the Canterbury quake. They will gain invaluable experience that can not normally be offered through regular training, experience they will bring back and share with other staff here in the Bay,” said Nigel Simpson, Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Coordinator.

The National Crisis Management Centre has thanked all staff who offered their skills. The National Centre co-ordinates assistance to Canterbury and will manage deployment of available staff from all regional CDEM groups during the response and recovery operation.

ENDS

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