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Civil Defence Minister praises Hutt Valley preparedness

Thursday 6 October 2011, 5:28PM

By Hutt City Council

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Hutt Valley Emergency Controller Paul Nickalls, Rimutaka National Party candidate Jonathon Fletcher and Minister of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Craig Foss.
Hutt Valley Emergency Controller Paul Nickalls, Rimutaka National Party candidate Jonathon Fletcher and Minister of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Craig Foss. Credit: Hutt City Council

LOWER HUTT

The Minister of Civil Defence and Emergency Management visited the Hutt Valley emergency operations centre in Lower Hutt.

Minister Craig Foss gave credit to our emergency management team and community for the “front-foot approach” being taken towards emergency preparedness.“

Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt can be proud of the regional approach they’re taking and the plans being put in place.

”He also lay down a challenge already being taken up by the team.“

There are leaders in our community, that we don’t know about yet. Go and find them,” he said.

Emergency management advisors Peter Walker and Kathryn Nankivell have been working to find these leaders and have had great success in the Wainuiomata community together with the Wainuiomata Community Board.

Peter shared a moment from a recent community workshop in Wainuiomata where there was an obvious eagerness for people to work together.

“In August with the snow, the local medical centre lost power and scrambled around with torches. Sitting next to them local Fire Service volunteers talked about their portable generators and lights that would have kept them functioning had they known.”

Hutt Valley Emergency Controller Paul Nickalls says the Hutt Valley is fortunate to have a wealth of emergency professional volunteers with New Zealand Fire Service, Rural Fire teams and two emergency response teams.

“When the rubber hits the road we’ll always respond with our resources, but it’s community involvement that is crucial in an emergency situation.”

Tim O’Connor is a great recent example.“Know your neighbour, what you might need and what they’ve got that will help.”