EMNet site deleted

Despite having 67 followers, I've chosen to delete the HorizonsEM site EMNet collaboration. The reason for this is that progress on the Emergency Management Information System has superseded the need for us to continue collaboration on GIS systems.

The EMIS will provide the start of a mapping platform that we can all use. I expect that version 1.0 of the EMIS will have a basic mapping module however future versions will provide more opportunities to integrate web services based maps.

I'd like to reinforce that agencies should begin the process of publishing the GIS data they hold so that it can be picked up in the new mapping platform. Things like current road status are going to be central to good emergency management and this platform will be perfect for that.

Thanks to those who have supported the EMNet project... that eventually became AEGIS Map and is now evolving to the national EMIS.

Kopane Bridge construction

For many years the constriction caused by the Kopane Bridge over the Oroua River has set the level of flood protection afforded to this area. The Regional Council has recently acquired the consents and funding to replace the old Kopane Bridge with a new bridge and to realign the Rongotea Road.

At present there is a low spot in the flood protection work just up river from the bridge so that over-topping of the banks happens in a controlled manner. Excess flows are diverted overland to the Taonui Basin. Once the work is completed the potential level of flood waters in the Basin will be reduced.

The project is costing $4.3M and is expected to be completed by April 2012.

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.

Tropical Cyclone YASI

I've been getting a few queries about TC YASI and how to find out information about what is happening. Here are a few links you may find useful...

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
Townsville Emergency Management
Queensland Disaster Emergency Management
Live radio broadcast this is a streaming radio link
Australian Bureau of Meteorology

iPhone users can also look at downloading the iPhone app PDC World Disaster Alerts.

Back on board for 2011

Well... first day back in the office and already a month has gone by. 1000+ emails in the inbox have all been cleared and now looking to the work programme for 2011. I can tell its going to be a busy year not only with programmed work but event response too - wind and rain going crazy outside the window and one event under our belt already this year (well done to the team).

Welcome to Noel Mingins... Noel has taken up the EMO Rural Fire position with Ruapehu District Council taking over from Annie Petersen. It will be good having Noel back in the Group. Farewell and all the best to Annie, who is staying with Ruapehu DC but in a waste minimisation role.

In the next few weeks, we have a number of Emergency Management Committee meetings, a Co-ordinating Executive Group meeting, a Welfare Advisory Group meeting and a training programme to kick off.

The Horizons Emergency Operations Centre will be relocated to the ground floor in the next short while; taking advantage of new IT and better managing the space available to the team for emergency response.

The EMIS is about to enter final testing so hopefully it won't be too long before the system is launched and we can start the move to an integrated information management system. I understand that this testing phase will take about 6-8 weeks.

Anyway... 2011 is underway so keep an eye on the blog and feel free to ask questions, make suggestions and give us feedback on the Manawatu-Wanganui CDEM Group.

Calendar updates

Well... it has been a while. The calendar of meeting dates and training was having a bit of a Google-wide hissy fit but it seems that the Google geeks have sorted that out now. The meeting dates for 2011 have mostly been entered into the meeting calendar now. EMO and Rural Fire meetings are yet to be added.

Things have certainly been busy in recent weeks with budget preparations and end of year wrap ups. I will be away for January so the blog is unlikely to be updated during this time.

Tune in again next year and I'll keep you posted on things such as the launch of the EMIS, training activities, relocation of the Group ECC, Ministry stuff and other interesting little tidbits.

In the meantime, remember that **it happens anytime, anywhere... be prepared for that. Keep some stuff in the car if your on holiday (nut bars and water), keep some cash handy for when the EFTPOS falls over and most of all, enjoy the summer!

Shane and the Emergency Management Team

Green RIG whereabouts

Many of you will know that the award winning Green RIG spends its time on the road educating our communities about environmental issues. In the recent theme change natural hazards have become more of a talking point. One wall of the Green RIG is dedicated to natural hazards.

The photo shows students learning about the effects of development in flood plains... something we know a little bit about.

The Green RIG team publish a calendar on the Green RIG website here. Over the next couple of months, the Green RIG will be in Palmerston North, Carterton and Wanganui.

Liquefaction... what does it mean for us?

Since the Canterbury earthquake, we have been fielding a few calls about liquefaction in our region. There have been a few good articles in local papers, but here is a small excerpt from our Risk and Responsibilities Report (the lifelines report).

'Liquefaction is the loss of strength of unconsolidated materials during shaking, with the expulsion of water. Heavy objects such as tanks may sink, list, or float if liquefaction of their foundation or surrounding materials occurs. Sandy layers, up to several metres below the ground may liquefy provided there is sufficient confining pressure, and may cause sand/water fountaining at the ground surface. Liquefaction is commonly responsible for lateral spreading along riverbanks. Unconsolidated, water saturated sandy material is a prerequisite for liquefaction, so areas prone to this hazard tend to coincide with those prone to amplification of shaking and settlement.'

In our region, it is the west coast strip that is most susceptible to liquefaction. The diagram also shows known earthquake faults.

Get Ready Week... underway already

OK, so we're a bit early... that's typical of us though!

This year's theme for Get Ready Week (formerly known as Disaster Awareness Week) is tsunami. That fits nicely with the national tsunami exercise on the 20th October. New banners have been made for our AirShelter and a CDEM Group tsunami brochure prepared and printed. We've bought survival items to display in the AirShelter and have the new video interviews with Kiwis who survived the Samoa earthquake and tsunami last year.

Next thing you know, Canterbury have a massive earthquake and a significant civil defence response. Closer to home, we have more than our fair share of rain resulting in evacuations, flood gate operations and an awful lot of soggy ground! We've now operated the new Makino and Moutoa flood control gates twice in two weeks. I think its a good guess that people will have questions about earthquakes and floods while we are out there in the community.

To help answer some of the questions, we dusted off the earthquake cubes from a couple of years ago. Each cube in the display (numbered 4-8) represents the amount of energy released in an earthquake. The very small cube represents a Richter scale 4 event and the big cube a Richter scale 8. We'll also be printing off some more Makino brochures for the Fielding display.

The Get Ready Week roadshow is in the following places...

5-7 October Levin at Horowhenua District Council

8 October Feilding in the Square

11 October Taihape New World

12 October Marton New World and Ohakune District Council Service Centre

13 October Palmerston North in the Square

14 October Danevirke at the Warehouse

15 October Wanganui as part of the Health Wellbeing and Fitness expo at the Memorial Hall