Earthquake exercise continues this weekend

Volunteers from across Hawke’s Bay will be testing how they’d respond to a large-scale earthquake this weekend as part of Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group’s Exercise Rūaumoko.

The exercise, which started on Thursday, was designed to test Hawke’s Bay’s arrangements for preparing for, responding to and recovering from a major emergency.

Police SAR, Coastguard Hawke’s Bay, Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and the Hawke’s Bay Emergency Response Team will run a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Haumoana this Sunday, while volunteers from Red Cross, the SPCA and the Welfare Response Group set up a Civil Defence Centre at Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Manager Ian Macdonald said the weekend’s activities were a great opportunity for different organisations to practise together so they could work efficiently in an emergency.

“We know that in a real emergency of this scale, we’d be relying heavily on our volunteers to help manage the response, and these two scenarios will give them valuable experience.”

Mr Macdonald said communication between agencies would play a major role in the success of the exercise.

“That's why we do this, so we can test those skills and prepare for the worst.”

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group volunteers take part in training and exercises throughout the year to learn and maintain skills and relationships with each other, partner agencies and group staff.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, visitwww.hbemergency.govt.nz/community/helping-others/

22 October 2019

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