All are welcome to attend the Emergency Response and Resilience Expo this Saturday 29 April, to be held at the Community Emergency Hub at 89 Main Street. The Expo will run from 10am to 3pm, and you’re invited to come along – whether it’s for a short time or for the day.

The Expo is intended to develop community understanding of how a range of organisations work together to contribute to community resilience before, during and after disasters.

South Wairarapa District Council’s Health, Safety & Emergency Management Advisor Nigel Carter says this event will help our community learn and gain confidence around how we will “get through” in an emergency.

Chair of the Greytown Community Board, Louise Brown added “Even before the recent cyclones affected the Wairarapa, the Greytown Community Board had been thinking about Greytown’s Community Response Plan. This is an opportunity for us all to come together as a community and plan for any other emergencies such as weather events, fires or earthquakes, making sure we are prepared for anything,”

Wellington Water and Greater Wellington Regional Council will be at the Expo to explain the flood mapping work they are doing, and what this means in terms of how everyone can work together to get ready for the impacts of more heavy rainfall.

“You can also use this as a way to work out how you’d like to help out in an emergency. Whether it’s offering a cup of tea and a chat in the community space, writing a situation report or using the radio to communicate with the Wairarapa Emergency Operations Centre, this event on Saturday will provide plenty of opportunities to practice what happens in a hub.” Nigel Carter says.

We’re all capable Emergency Managers with a role to play in the next Community Response – if we want to.

Participants and activities on the day include:

• Wellington region’s Lifeline Utilities Co-ordinator Richard Mowll will be available to discuss the realities of Wairarapa’s infrastructure vulnerabilities.
• Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s “Get Down, Get Low, Get Out-Fast” Challenge. FENZ will be there to discuss Home Fire Safety, such as smoke alarms, escape plans, safe meeting places.
• Be one of the first people to have your photo taken with “Poo-nelope” the emoji for Wellington’s Emergency Sanitation Campaign – and learn more about what to do when you can’t flush.
• Participation prize draw – a 4-person grab bag, emergency sanitation kit and a 200L water tank
• Colouring in competition prize draw with prizes donated by Greytown businesses including Madame
• Fancy Pants, Vibrance Gifts, Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop and Cahoots Café.
• Share your thoughts about what we need to support our emergency response with members of the Greytown Community Board.
• Sign-up for one of WREMO’s free business continuity planning workshops
• Worried about your animals? MPI will be at Expo with ideas on how you can provide for your companion or farm animals.
• Learn about Wairarapa Search and Rescue, MenzShed and Community Patrol offer in everyday life and disasters.
• Get ideas from WREMO on Household Emergency Planning – and commit to some actions to win a participation prize.
• The first 50 visitors to the Expo will receive a small gift.