EMIS update

It appears that things are progressing with the implementation of the Emergency Management Information System from the Ministry. The next round of train the trainers is scheduled for mid-April to early-May - six lots of three-day training sessions for MCDEM and CDEM Group and local authority staff.

The website that MCDEM set up to keep people informed on EMIS progress has changed. This can now be found here.

We are currently working on a rollout plan for our Group including who needs to be trained, when and where as well as putting in our Group templates, making sure that all the staff and agencies are established, links between sites will work properly and that our roll-ups work the way we expect. Some specific training packages will be developed for our Group too... a 2hr introduction, 2hr Controllers and section training as well.

There will be more to come on this front this year - it is top of the list for a wee while.

Manawatu-Wanganui Controller's Forum

From time-to-time the Group has a get together of its CDEM Controllers. This is an opportunity to focus on recent activities within the Group and at a national level that will impact on us during an emergency. This year, the Controller's Forum is scheduled for 1 March and will cover a wide range of topics for the local and Group Controllers, including:

• The new CDEM Group Plan - what's new, what's different?
• Triennial Business Plan - what are we going to do for the next three years?
• Public Education and Information Strategy and survey results
• AEGIS Map project (a joint project with Hawkes Bay)
• National Emergency Management Information System (to be rolled out this year)
• National Exercise Tangaroa (coming up later this year)
• Monitoring and Evaluation audit of the Group by MCDEM
• Administrative arrangements for welfare support during pandemic influenza (a new guide)

The forum is limited to Controllers and Emergency Managers from within the Group so that we can focus on specific detail of our Group and the Group's activities.

Barrier training

The Foxton Beach flood barrier was erected last night by the local NZ Fire Service crew. This is the second time the crew has been out to practice setting the barrier up. There are still a few improvements that can be made to the barrier itself and the suggestions of the local Fire crew have helped to build capability in this area.

The barrier (which looks like a big white sausage) is designed to be erected during high flow or storm surge events that will push river levels up to the stopbank. There is a short section of bank that is lower than the rest to make provision for the road. This section is blocked off by the water filled barrier to complete the flood protection works as required. Drivers could still get past given the firm ground conditions last night and the low slope of the surrounding stopbank.

It took the crew about 40 minutes to deploy and fill the barrier with about 30,000l of water. Well done guys.

Outcome of EMDO training

Well, the EMDO and EM staff training day went really well last week. It was a good opportunity to work our way through the activation procedures and practice everything we've talked about and documented.

I'm sure some of the things were new for a few of the team so this would have been a significant learning curve. We only had a couple of minor equipment hiccups but that just proves that having an IT duty officer is important too. William Gordon and

Alistair Williams helped out during the day to resolve any technical issues.

We also practiced send an SMS via our message media site - its really the first time

we've had the HorizonsEM user logged on in

several places at once. I think this fact is partly to blame (but that won't stop the shout) for Rosco sending an SMS to a rather random list... asking 'where's da emergency?' Not sure how that happened! Anyway Rosco - make mine a Tui!

We have also decided to use CIMS language in our accounts so we've now set up HorizonsPlanningIntel, HorizonsOperations and HorizonsLogistics accounts in Groove, gmail and Skype. The base account used in the Comms Room for generic e-mail and warnings is still HorizonsEM.

EMDO training day

Tomorrow will be a full day for the Emergency Management Duty Officers and staff of Horizons Emergency Management Office. An extensive programme has been arranged for the team to work through the details for a cold start to EOC/ECC operations at Horizons. The day will include activation of all hardware and software that might be used in operations.

Each of the EMDOs is expected to be able to fully activate the EOC and support the Horizons Incident Controller and/or Group Controller without the support of any other EM staff. It's quite a big ask to do in slow time, let alone when the pressure of an event is upon us. We'll be practicing setting up the EOC, spreading our wings into the Compliance space, conference calls, Groove, useful websites and how to make the most of the wall monitors. Sending sms messages, preparing sitreps and arranging the first two shifts, using the BGAN, the new financial system and looking through the several emergency response documents we have will also be part of the day.

This training day is the first in a series of activation training days for EOC staff. Here, our expectation is that many of the staff that might be first into the EOC might be expected to perform any number of roles. Each Friday afternoon for about a month we'll be running training for batches of staff

Volcano short course

GNS Science and Massey University are again running their very successful Planning for a volcanic crisis short course. This year the course is being held at the
Mercure Hotel in Auckland on 23-24 September. An optional field trip will also visit Rangitoto Island on the 25th.

The course covers:

• The volcano problem
• Impacts and mitigation
• Monitoring and warning systems
• Two case studies
• Lahars and breakout flooding
• Discussions on crisis management
• Planning for volcanic crisis
• Learning from others, and
• So what can you do?

For more information about the course, you can download the brochure from here. You can also contact Daryl Barton on 04-570-1444 or d.barton@gns.cri.nz. The course costs $500 per person and the field trip is $100.

Back on deck

Well, I've been away for a couple of weeks but the business just keeps on ticking!!!

The CEG agenda has gone out with the first draft of the CDEM Group Plan and Public Education and Information Strategy. We meet next week to work through these before they go up to the Joint Standing Committee.

On the hazards front, Ruapehu did a little belch. Fortunately, there was little effect from this event at the Crater Lake. GNS Science issued alert bulletin for this event. There was a pretty chunky earthquake down south but incredibly, very little damage. This event was as large as the 1931 earthquake! Anywhere else in the world, I'm sure there would have been an international response to a devastated area. Soon after the earthquake, a tsunami warning was issued by the PTWC. Again, we were lucky that a big wave was not generated. This one does bring home that the warning system is designed for distant source tsunami. It just takes time to work things out and then get plans initiated.

Finally, congratulations to members of the Volunteer Rural Fire Force in Levin. Many of the members graduated with their level 2 FRSITO certificates last night. Presentation of their certificates was made at a ceremony at the Horowhenua District Council by HDC Chief Execuitive David Ward and FRSITO Manager Leonce Jones.

Rangitikei Exercise

The Rangitikei gang took part in a small exercise last Friday to test facilities at the Emergency Operations Centre - yes despite some rumours, the EOC is still fully functional at the back of the Marton library.

The exercise was intended to be a tabletop exercise and just enough to test systems such as CDERS and re-familiarise key District Council staff with CDEM arrangements. The exercise has also provided me with a baseline for future improvements (and there are a few up my sleeve). We'll be working through the system improvements over the next several months and the staff will be called on to participate in some training courses.

Its certainly not all doom and gloom though (as evidenced by the photo), the level of participation was good and the experience in the room reassures me that if the balloon went up tomorrow we have a response capability. At the conclusion of the exercise, Paul ran through an abbreviated version of CIMS training for some of the staff who were unfamiliar with some of these processes. Thanks to the team for their participation.