6 May 2005

Region's civil defence plan given final tick

The overarching plan that will guide agencies from across the Auckland region in the event of a civil defence emergency was given the final seal of approval by Minister of Civil Defence, Hon George Hawkins, earlier today.

The Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan provides the framework that will guide the multiple agencies involved, in both planning for emergencies, and how hazards and risks will be managed when one occurs. Its adoption signals the beginning of a new era in Civil Defence for the region.

Prepared by the Auckland Region Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group, which is charged with putting the plan into practice to ensure a co-ordinated response in the event of a large-scale emergency in the Auckland region, the plan is the result of nation-wide changes to Civil Defence management introduced in 2002.

Mr Hawkins says that he is impressed by the overall standard of the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan and acknowledges the work that the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group has done over recent years to develop such a robust and high quality plan.

"The plan and its supporting documents are of a high quality and I am confident that the arrangements the group has developed will address the welfare of Aucklanders in the event of an emergency.

"This plan, plus local council plans and operating procedures will serve Auckland's diverse communities well."

Chair of the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Committee, Neil Morrison says that the adoption of the plan is a major achievement for the many agencies involved in its development.

"We have spent nearly five years developing this plan, and the contribution and commitment by everyone involved clearly demonstrates the region's ability to work together. It is a real achievement to have a plan that the Ministry and regional agencies all have confidence in.

"The overall success of implementing this plan lies in us all working together, so that we are collectively much better equipped to handle any type of emergency should one occur." Mr Morrison says that events such as the tsunami which devastated parts of Asia at the end of last year, highlight the need to have agencies all working together.

The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, which came into force in late 2002, requires Civil Defence and Emergency Management programmes and activities to be co-ordinated by regional groups rather than by local councils. This has resulted in the development of the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan, which covers: - The importance of strong relationships between all agencies involved in civil defence emergency management - The need for co-operative planning and action between the various emergency management agencies and the community - A commitment to deliver more effective civil defence emergency management through risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery.

More information about Civil Defence in the Auckland region, and a copy of the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan is available online at www.cdemg.org.nz.

About the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

The Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is made up of representatives of the Auckland Regional Council, all city and district councils in the Auckland region, representatives of emergency services and district health boards.

The group's role is to provide a co-ordinated and integrated approach to the way significant risks and hazards are managed in the region.

About Civil Defence

Civil Defence is the process of being able to deal with the consequences of an emergency. It involves four areas of activity: · Reducing the risk of emergencies and their consequences · Readiness to deal with an emergency · Responding to an emergency · Recovering from an emergency

ENDS

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