The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (the Act) required local authorities to form Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups (Group) consisting of all its Local Government Authorities and establish a committee of all their mayors and/or chairpersons. Gisborne being a Unitary Authority had the choice of joining with one of its neighbouring regions or forming a Group by its self. We decided to go with the later option and formed the Gisborne Group in May 2003 and also decided that our political committee would comprise the whole of Council. It does not normally meet just to do Group business but does it as part of its normal meetings.
The Gisborne CDEM Group is required by the Act to:
- In relation to relevant hazards and risks:
- identify, assess, and manage those hazards and risks.
- consult and communicate about risks.
- identify and implement cost-effective risk reduction.
- Take all steps necessary on an ongoing basis to maintain and provide, or to arrange the provision of, or to otherwise make available suitably trained and competent personnel, [including volunteers,] and an appropriate organisational structure for those personnel, for effective civil defence emergency management in its area.
- Take all steps necessary on an ongoing basis to maintain and provide, or to arrange the provision of, or otherwise to make available material, services, information, and any other resources for effective Civil Defence Emergency Management in its area.
- Respond to and manage the adverse effects of emergencies in its area.
- Carry out recovery activities.
- When requested, assist other Groups in the implementation of Civil Defence Emergency Management in their areas (having regard to the competing Civil Defence Emergency Management demands within the Group's own area and any other requests for assistance from other Groups.
- Within its area, promote and raise public awareness of, and compliance with, this Act and legislative provisions relevant to the purpose of this Act.
- Monitor and report on compliance within its area with this Act and legislative provisions relevant to the purpose of this Act.
- Develop, approve, implement, and monitor a Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan and regularly review the plan.
- Participate in the development of the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Strategy and the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan.
- Promote Civil Defence Emergency Management in its area that is consistent with the purpose of this Act.
The Act also requires Groups to establish a Co-ordinating Executive Group. This has been established and has the following membership;
- Chief Executive Officer (Council) Chairperson
- Group Controller
- Group Recovery Manager
- Managers (council)
- Environment & Planning
- Environment & Works
- Police
- Fire
- Health
- St John
- Civil Defence Emergency Management Officer
- Principal Rural Fire Officer
- Planner
- District Welfare Manager
- Eastland Infrastructure
- Transit/OPUS
- Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management
The role of this group is to assist and advise the Group in the performance of its functions.
The Group has appointed:
| Group Controller |
Jon Davies |
| Alternate Controller |
John Clarke |
|
|
| Recovery Manager |
John Clarke |
|
Alternate
Deputy |
Patrick Willock
Richard Steele |
The Gisborne Group believes that communities responding to their own problems in an emergency leads to a better ‘healing result’ than an intervention approach. To achieve this 43 civil defence communities have been identified and volunteer structures maintained in them to provide the leadership required in a response.
To provide support to these communities when they can’t cope or don’t have the resources needed a number of them are grouped into a Civil Defence Area. Four of these Areas have been created and they are managed from an Area Headquarters (see Community Link pages for more information). The Area Co-ordinators are able to deploy the resources of the grouped communities in support of one that needs them. Within most of the rural communities there also exists welfare volunteers that assist the main volunteer structure in looking after the needs of evacuees or isolated persons. This whole structure is called the Community Link.
To provide support and direction to these Area Headquarters the Group has established a Group Emergency Operations Centre (GEOC) at the Council Buildings in Fitzherbert St. The EOC is managed by the Group Controller, is staffed by Council Workers (40 per shift) and has representatives from the Emergencies Services and key utility providers.
The whole structure is tied together by a VHF radio system that links communities to their Areas and Areas to the GEOC.
If you wish to volunteer to join the Community Link 'family' then call Richard Steele at the Council - 867 2049 ext 8435