Stand down

I have returned from my UNDAC deployment earlier than expected. Having only made it to Brisbane and met with the team, I've had to return home due to a family emergency. Here is a link to the ReliefWeb page for Papua New Guinea for those still interested in the sea swell events.

As I am now officially on leave, the blog is likely to be quiet for the next few weeks.

I'd like to wish every a happy and safe Christmas and prosperous New Year.

The things we do...

Well, I thought the blog was going to go quiet for a few weeks while I'm on leave. Cancel that! A call has gone out for an UNDAC team to assist with the coastal inundation from unusually high sea levels in Papua New Guinea. Here is a link to the information on Reliefweb (this is updated regularly).

A team of four UNDAC members has been selected to assist with the response, especially as a second and possibly more significant event is coming through in the next few days. The team comprises Peter Muller (OCHA Fiji), Odeda Benin-Goren (Israel), Maj. Alan Toh (Singapore) and me. We will also have two IT experts from the Asia Pacific Humanitarian Partnership coming with us from Singapore.

At this stage, I depart on Tuesday morning. If time and communications permit, I'll keep you posted.

Group Plan update

The Joint Committee met last Friday and received and endorsed the first two chapters of the draft CDEM Group Plan (Chapter 1: Background and Chapter 8: Management and Governance). I provided some background for the Committee on the process to date and the sorts of discussions we have been having.

A couple of the key points were:

• Centrally co-ordinated and locally delivered emergency management is key to a consistent approach across the Group,
• A triennial business plan, agreed to and funded collectively by members, will drive the work programmes of the Group,
• We are following a nationally consistent approach to the layout for the revised Plan,
• The CEG and Joint Committee will endorse the entire draft Plan before it goes out for public consultation.

Members were happy with the progress to date and noted the effort that had been put in so far. Some feedback was received about the complexity of the Plan and discussion was had on the possibility of a summarised version being available for people that don't require the full technical and legal version of the Plan. This possibility will be explored with CEG members.

Long distance camera testing

Members of the Red Cross Information Technology and Telecommunications Emergency Response Unit have been undertaking some training in Wellington today. Tony Groome (from our neck of the woods) borrowed the GPS camera to show the team what we are up to. Tony hadn't used the camera or Groove before and this afternoon I've received pictures of the training in the Groove synchronised folder, commented with the team in Groove and processed photos and put them in the folder for them.

This proves the camera over slightly longer distances and I'm confident that with a very little bit of training, most people could figure out how to drive this for a reconnaissance mission.

Well done team and good luck with the rest of the training.

NICDEM Conference

Delegates from across the North Island, a few from the South and even Tonga (good on you Maliu) gathered together in Rotorua for the North Island Civil Defence Emergency Management Conference yesterday and today.

Unfortunately I could only make it for day 1 but the region is well represented with about 11 delegates in attendance. Some great speakers filled the audience with hope for resolving what has been a tricky problem for for EMOs... fast moving consumer goods during pandemic emergencies. The Aussies have certainly made excellent progress and don't seem to have run out of steam yet.

The Horizons presentation went well (if a little hurried) and several people have already asked me to explain further some of the benefits we've seen in Groove and just how we're using it. The technology didn't let us down in front of a live audience (phew). Thanks to the team for helping pull this one off.

A good selection of exhibitors were on hand to catch our eyes (and order books) during the breaks.

Hats off to Greg Wilson and the team for organising a great conference.