Western Bay of Plenty District Council is encouraging people to get to know their local Community Emergency Hub – before they need it. 

Recent heavy rain and tsunami threats are a reminder of how quickly things can change and how important it is to be prepared, said Kurt Waugh, Council’s Community Resilience Advisor. 

“Natural events like this can happen with little warning, so knowing your local hub is really important,” Waugh said. 

Community Emergency Hubs are in place across the district to help locals connect and support each other when the unexpected happens.

“These are led by the community, not emergency services. In a major emergency, it’s the people around you who make the biggest difference,” Waugh said. 

“It’s all about locals helping locals – and the more people who know where these hubs are and how they work, the stronger and more resilient our communities will be.” 

Over the coming weeks, Waugh will be hosting emergency drop-in sessions at Western Bay libraries, where people can find out more about the Hubs and what they can do to stay safe in an emergency. 

The sessions will feature ‘grab bag’ examples to help people prepare their own, and tsunami/earthquake virtual reality simulators. 

From Pukehina to Waihī Beach, there are 15 Community Emergency Hubs in the Western Bay, run by more than a hundred volunteers. 

Council provides training to volunteers, and each Hub has a guide document which explains the different roles needed and how to organise an emergency response. 

Located at schools and community facilities, Hubs may be opened up by keyholders living in the area, when there has been a large-scale emergency. 

“In a major disaster, like a big earthquake or flood, roads and other infrastructure can be damaged, cutting off communities.  Emergency services will be focused on the most urgent needs and may not be able to reach everyone right away,” Waugh said.

“Community Emergency Hubs are places where locals can gather and help each other out, in a coordinated way. We’re grateful to all the amazing people in our community who already volunteer their time, and we’re always looking for others ready to step up and help when an emergency happens.” 

Locally, the Hubs are gaining more visibility, with new signs starting to appear throughout the rohe. 

One of those locations is the Waihī Beach Community Emergency Hub, which is located at the local RSA. 

The Hub’s team leader Sue Towler has been involved with several emergency services over the years and said it’s an opportunity to give back.   

“We have a very talented and experienced team of community minded people, and it is a privilege being part of that team. The best part for us is helping to make the community aware of the hazards and showing them how to become self-reliant and prepared for any given situation,” Towler said.

“It gives the community a sense of comfort and security to know that there is a safe haven to go to in a crisis.” 

Emergency Preparedness Sessions 

Te Puke – Tuesday August 26, 1pm–3pm, Te Puke Library and Service Centre, 130 Jellicoe Street 

Ōmokoroa – Wednesday August 27, 10am–1pm, Ōmokoroa Library and Service Centre, 28 Western Avenue