Hon Rick Barker
Minister of Civil Defence

25 September 2007

New Waitakere emergency centre leads the way

"The new Waitakere emergency operations centre (EOC) will serve as a model for future facilities throughout New Zealand," Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker said today.

Mr Barker officially opened the state-of-the-art EOC, which will provide a back-up for the entire Auckland region, at a ceremony in Henderson today.

“This centre, with its innovative design features, encapsulates this Government’s commitment to prepare New Zealand for an emergency before it occurs, rather than just reacting to a disaster after the event,” said Mr Barker.

“New Zealand has experienced a number of civil defence emergencies this year. In the last three months alone, I have visited Taranaki, Northland, the Coromandel and Hawke’s Bay to see at first hand the effects of tornadoes, storms and flooding.

“These events can severely test the preparedness of communities and local and central government agencies, particularly if they strike the same area in rapid succession, as happened with successive floods in Northland.

“A functional EOC is the nerve-centre for helping mitigate the worst effects of such disasters. It is the central point in the community where information is gathered, decisions made and where responses are coordinated.

“In this respect, Waitakere EOC serves as a model for future EOC’s in that it incorporates several special features for sustainability and emergency response capabilities, including solar panels for water heating, energy efficient lighting and underground holding tanks for rainwater.

“The new centre is an asset not just to Waitakere but to the entire Auckland region, which will benefit from having such a state-of-the-art facility as an alternative EOC in the event of an emergency,” said Mr Barker.

ENDS

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