Big exercise to test Civil Defence systems

Hundreds of people are gearing up for a fictitious volcanic eruption which is to be the focus of the largest Civil Defence exercise ever held in Taranaki.

The main phase of the exercise, called Pahu, takes place next Wednesday (20 November) when scores of people will descend on the Taranaki Emergency Management Office in New Plymouth. Large firms and organisations throughout the region will also be testing their own emergency procedures.

Unlike Taranaki Blowout in 2010, Exercise Pahu does not involve the public but is designed to allow Civil Defence and partner agencies to test their systems and communications.

“It’s a test of our ability to respond to Mt Taranaki erupting,” says Senior Emergency Management Officer Shane Briggs. “Its eruption is a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’, so exercises like this are very important.”

The exercise involves emergency services, the Taranaki District Health Board, councils, utility companies, the Department of Conservation and GNS Science, as well as Civil Defence groups in neighbouring regions, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and other Government agencies

“It’s a desk-top exercise – there will be no physical movement of people or resources, and it will not involve the news media, social media or the public,” says Mr Briggs.  “The focus is on the agencies with responsibilities to respond to a volcanic eruption. Independent evaluators will be assessing our performance.”

He says nine months of planning has gone into Exercise Pahu, and the initial phase has already started with participants being sent fictitious but scientifically robust information about seismic activity under the mountain. Scientists say any eruption will always be preceded by seismic activity which will be detected by the GeoNet monitoring network.

Mr Briggs says although there is no public involvement in the exercise, it is yet another reminder that a future eruption is a reality for Taranaki and residents need to be prepared by ensuring they have household emergency plans, survival items and getaway kits, and by knowing what to do during an eruption. For more information, see www.getthru.govt.nz.

ENDS

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