My view - Group level v's local level

I guess it's important in these early posts to say that opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of the CDEM Group. I'll head up posts with 'my view' when you're getting my opinion. I'm certainly up for healthy debate on these things.

So here's the first one... Right across the CDEM sector we talk about national, group and local level CDEM. I think this is a hang-over from the days before CDEM Groups were established and we had national, regional and local civil defence organisations. In those days, the regional and united councils had little influence over how civil defence was delivered at the local organisation level as each organisation was autonomous and required by law. This resulted in nearly 100 civil defence organisations around the country doing similar things but in a variety of ways. In part, this disparity was the reason for about 15 years of civil defence review and the eventual formation of CDEM Groups.

Too often I hear from local EMOs (from all over NZ) that something is 'Group' or 'local' business and they're not involved in that. Nothing could be further from the truth - we're all local EMOs - local means our Group (that's why we can only declare a local emergency).

I'd like to suggest that we change the way we talk (and write) about our CDEM Groups, from Group and local level to strategic and operational level activities within the Group. The operational level includes territorial authorities, Regional Council, local Police, Fire, health providers and community groups. Strategic level includes the Regional Council, regional level government departments, District Police, Regional Fire, District Health Boards, and regionally significant organisations as well as strong links to the territorial authorities.

So let's talk about the strategic and operational activities of the Group and not continue the thinking of the 1983 Act, that promoted separate regional and local civil defence organisations.

Feel free to post your opinions in response - I think it all helps to move the sector forward.