7 July 2014

Hawke’s Bay wide Civil Defence Plan helps region to be more prepared

A new region-wide emergency management plan has been developed to help the Hawke’s Bay community be more prepared for a civil defence emergency.

The Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan has been developed over the last 18 months. It replaces the previous plan and takes a more region-wide approach to preparedness.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Joint Committee Chairman Fenton Wilson says the plan covers the entire region from the Wairoa district to Central Hawke’s Bay and focuses on a more coordinated approach to planning for a civil defence emergency.

“The Group Plan has been primarily written to guide and inform those involved in civil defence planning in the region; however it also gives the public a good view of how hazards and risks in the region will be managed,” says Mr Wilson.

“We encourage people to find out more about the main hazards in the region and what they and their communities can do to prepare.”

The plan was developed with the help of Hawke’s Bay’s five councils, emergency services, central government and non-government partners, such as Red Cross.

Mr Wilson says the new plan incorporates lessons learnt from recent disasters, such as the Canterbury earthquakes and a 2010 review of Hawke’s Bay’s civil defence capability.

“The plan seeks to achieve a more resilient Hawke’s Bay through comprehensive emergency management that covers reducing the risk from hazards, community readiness for events, its response to a disaster and recovery from the impacts of a disaster.”

The plan is available at www.hbemergency.govt.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media