Civil defence experts set to cause rumble in the Bay of Plenty
For immediate release: Monday 1 December 2008

Pandemic planning and earthquakes will be among the burning issues debated at the North Island Civil Defence Emergency Management Conference in Rotorua this week.

Experts from around the world will be gathering in the region for the conference including Dudley Wait, Deputy Director for the Regional Medical Operations Centre in South Texas, which supported the evacuation and care of people affected by Hurricane Ike. Mr Wait will talk about the planning, response and recovery work that was undertaken during Hurricane Ike, which killed at least 82 people in September 2008.

Alan Edwards from the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will be talking about supplying people with food in an emergency, particularly if roads, railways and ports are blocked. Meanwhile Steve Newton, of Australian food distribution company Metcash, will be suggesting ways Australia’s food industry contingency plans could be applied in New Zealand.

Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Rivers and Drainage Ken Tarboton, Engineering Manager Mangala Wickramanyake and Principal Geospatial Analyst Gareth Evans will be among the local speakers.

The conference, titled Emergency management of the future: Something for everyone, will be held on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 December 2008. Delegates will also have the opportunity to take part in a pre-conference hazards tour on Wednesday 3 December which will take in Edgecumbe, Matata, Rangitikei Plains and Kawerau Geothermal Power Station.

More than 120 delegates are expected to attend including Civil Defence Emergency Management practitioners and representatives from various organisations in the emergency management sector.

The conference will be hosted by the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Controller Bill Bayfield highlighted the high calibre of speakers and said he looked forward to their presentations.

“I am interested to hear about the lessons learned from the overseas emergency events. Their experiences and advice will help us to better plan and prepare for an emergency here in the Bay of Plenty,” Mr Bayfield said.

The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is made up of the regional council, city and district councils. The group is responsible for all civil defence and emergency management decision making in the region.

ENDS

For more information on civil defence in the Bay of Plenty visit http://www.envbop.govt.nz/cd/cdem-group.asp

Or for more information on the conference visit:
http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/memwebsite.nsf/Files/CDEM-events/$file/NorthIs-CDconference08.pdf

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