Views Sought on New Civil Defence Regional Blueprint

A new five-year Civil Defence blueprint for Taranaki has been drafted and the public can now have a say on the future of emergency management in the region.

“After all that’s happened nationally in the past seven years, New Zealanders are very well aware of the unpredictability and potentially devastating effects of natural and other calamities – and the importance of good systems to cope with them and their aftermath,” says the CDEM Group Chair, Taranaki Regional Councillor Tom Cloke.

“We’ve drawn useful lessons from the disasters that have occurred in recent years and incorporated them into the new Group Plan. It’s an important document because it sets our regional Civil Defence priorities and guides our operations on the ground, and our decision-making for the next five years.”

The plan includes:

• A revised list of priority hazards to guide planning and resourcing, with potential volcanic activity on Mt Taranaki remaining a central issue of concern.

• Increased emphasis on boosting Civil Defence capabilities at community and district level, while maintaining regional oversight.

• Consideration of increased capacity and resourcing for some Civil Defence functions in the region.

Submissions on the Draft Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group Plan 2018-2013 close on 12 February. Submitters will also be able to present their views in person at a hearing on 6 March, if they wish.

The Draft Group Plan can be inspected online at www.cdemtaranaki.govt.nz, and at District Council offices and libraries, Taranaki Regional Council offices and the Taranaki Emergency Management Office at 45 Robe St, New Plymouth.

CDEM officers can organise presentations or workshops for organisations wanting more information on the Group Plan. Contact the Emergency Management Office on 06 758 1110.

The Taranaki CDEM Group is made up of the Taranaki Regional Council and the region’s three district councils, supported by a range of agencies and infrastructure providers. Its operations are overseen by a Co-ordinating Executive Group of council and agency officials, and administered by the Taranaki Regional Council.

ENDS

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