Are you ready for the big one?

A magnitude 8 earthquake on the Alpine Fault could cause the destruction of buildings, roads, bridges, power lines and pipes in the Mackenzie District - making it important for everyone to be well prepared.

The ability of the Mackenzie District Council to respond to a severe alpine fault earthquake was tested by Exercise Te Ripahapa on May 29.

Civil defence controller Bernie Haar said “the council joined a south-island wide response from local authorities, district health boards, emergency services and volunteers. The exercise scenario was a magnitude 8 earthquake at Fox Glacier”.

“We activated the emergency operations centre at 8.30am and responded in two shifts. This helped us practice a shift handover, which would be needed in a real event,” said Mr Haar.

During the day potential situations were injected into the exercise including a report of broken pipes at Twizel, the closure of airports, and the collapse of a hotel with 50 people trapped. The council team simulated a response to each event.

“The day went really well. There are some new people in the organisation who have never been involved in an exercise before so this was valuable for them. It was good to get people thinking about what might happen in a real earthquake and how they would respond.”

Mr Haar said the Mackenzie District Council holds a civil defence exercise every year. “Exercises like this are important. Practicing simple things like setting up the emergency headquarters in the council chambers and knowing where the radio telephones are kept will help people respond to a real event at a time when it’s much more stressful.”

He said some volunteer helpers from the community were phoned during the exercise to ensure they were available and ready.

Exercise Te Ripahapa raised some challenges specific to the Mackenzie District. One challenge is that many homes in the district are unoccupied holiday homes. They often don’t have emergency supplies. Older people living next door to holiday homes are without neighbours to keep an eye on them. Mr Haar says checking on your neighbours is very important in an emergency.

“I want people to know the council and civil defence are always planning and exercising so if something goes wrong we have the systems in place to support you. But that support might not arrive immediately. It can take as long as 72 hours and it’s just as important for individuals to be well prepared. You are going to have to look after yourselves for a while.”

“Make sure you have an emergency kit and extra food and water in your home. People who holiday here from the cities are often unprepared, so remind them that holiday homes need to have emergency supplies as well.”

For information about what you need to get through an emergency visit www.getthru.govt.nz or read the inside back cover of the Timaru/Oamaru phone book.

ENDS

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