Seamless support for affected families goal of welfare response

14 December 2019

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is continuing to lead and co-ordinate the event response to Monday’s eruption on Whakaari/White Island.

We are supporting the NZ Police recovery operation and coordinating the welfare services to assist and support affected family and whanau. Navy divers today joined Police divers as they continued to search for the two people who remain unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, Coronial Services in Auckland continues to work through the robust process to formally identify tupapaku (the deceased) which allows them to be reunited with their loved ones. At 5pm today, NZ Police released the name of the first formally identified victim of the event.

Meanwhile, inter-agency welfare teams are supporting 15 patients and their families at Christchurch, Hutt Valley, Waikato and Middlemore Hospitals as well as from Whakatane. In recent days, 13 patients have been transferred to hospitals in Australia and earlier in the week, 3 people were discharged from hospital.

Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group has been activated to assist Bay of Plenty Group in providing a seamless continuity of care for the families as they transfer to Auckland to be close-by their loved ones.

In addition to the hospital-based welfare support teams, the Civil Defence Groups have today opened up two family centres in Auckland, to provide a private respite space and access to assistance with transport and other logistics, for as long as required.

The Whakatane Civil Defence Welfare and Support Centre hub for affected families will close tomorrow, reopening Monday. This hub provides access services or assistance from Ministry of Social Development, ACC, Red Cross, Ngati Awa Social and Health Services, Pou Whakaari, Salvation Army and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The National Emergency Management Agency has developed an all-of-Government factsheet on support and information available to people affected by the emergency.Download the Factsheet (updated 13 December 2019) (505kb)

ENDS

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