This week is the final chance for communities to share their experiences in support of an independent review of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group’s response to Cyclone Gabrielle, with the short and simple online survey due to close next Monday, 15 January 2024. The survey can be completed by visiting: https://feedback.askyourteam.com/CBqcR2c.

In addition to an ongoing series of community focus groups, the online survey has been open since mid-November 2023, with Hawke’s Bay communities and mana whenua invited to anonymously share their experiences and their views on the response to Cyclone Gabrielle during the days immediately leading into the event and then the immediate emergency response stage.

Since its launch, the Independent Review Panel, led by Bush International Consulting, has received close to 1,000 responses from residents from Wairoa to Pōrangahau, with the community and mana whenua feedback continuing to form an important part of the ongoing review process.

The Panel also continues to make good progress and remains on track to deliver its final report to the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee by the end of March 2024.

Revisiting the events and the trauma related to Cyclone Gabrielle will be challenging for some people. As an important reminder, there is support available to those who may need it: hbemergency.govt.nz/cyclone-gabrielle-review/where-to-get-help.

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