September Newsletter

Kia ora!

The end of winter is here and spring is in the air! Over the next few months those gloves and scarves will slowly make their way to the bottom of the draw as we dig out our shorts and sunnies.

As the weather begins to warm up and the days get longer, WREMO will be running workshops and emergency response practices in your communities as well as getting ready for Shakeout 2024. Shakeout 2024 will be on Thursday 24th October. Start talking with your place of work or education now to see how they are going to participate this year!

As spring arrives, it’s the perfect time to check and refresh your household’s emergency water supply. Storing water is one of the best things you can do to prepare for an emergency, such as an earthquake, flood or drought.

Read on to see our top tips for storing water, find out about business continuity planning and see the amazing work by students from the Bishop Viard College on their fantastic new Emergency Safe Kits!

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Our region's water supply crosses multiple earthquake fault lines and a major earthquake could severely damage our water pipes. It will take up to eight days to set up official drinking water stations which is why it’s essential to have an emergency water supply at home.

We recommend storing 20 litres of water per person, per day for seven days - that’s 140L per person in your household. This will be enough for drinking, cooking, hand washing, your pets, a sponge bath, washing dishes, brushing teeth, handwashing clothes and first aid.

You can store emergency water by:

Cleaning and re-using plastic bottles (not milk bottles).
Re-purposing plastic ice cream containers and storing them in the freezer.
Filling larger containers from hardware stores.
Purchasing a 200L water tank through your local council.

If you live in an apartment or have limited space, get creative! Store water under the bed, behind the couch, in the freezer, or tucked away in cupboards. At the end of the day, any amount of water you can store will help!

For more information, visit wremo.nz/water

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Last week's heavy rain and flooding was a timely reminder that severe weather can happen at any time.

On Sunday August 25th, an Orange Heavy Rain Warning was issued for the Tararua Ranges. Early Monday morning, this warning was updated to include Kāpiti, Porirua and the Northern Wellington suburbs.

Across the region several roads were closed due to surface flooding and slips, garages were damaged and public transport delays impacted our commuters.

In light of the recent event, it is important that we know what to do before, during and after severe weather! Check out our top tips below.

Before

Keep informed of the weather forecast through MetService.com.
Clear leaves and debris from external drains to help prevent surface flooding.
Tie down, or bring inside, anything that strong winds could pick up or break.

During

If you see rising flood water and your life or property is at risk, evacuate to higher ground immediately. Do not wait for an official warning.
Do not drive, walk, swim or play in flood water unless you need to evacuate. Flood water just 30cm deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
Bring pets inside and move livestock to higher ground if it safe to do so.

After

Keep informed through MetService, your local council and WREMO for further updates and information.
Take care when driving, roads will be wet and potential debris can make driving conditions hazardous.
Report any downed trees or debris to your local council.
Stay away from damaged areas and flood water until the all clear has been given.

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Disruption could come in many forms – a major earthquake, flood, a prolonged power cut or even the sudden unavailability of you or a skilled member of your staff.

A business continuity plan identifies how your organisation can keep its essential functions up and running during a time of disruption. Planning will give your organisation a better chance of recovering quickly.

Here at WREMO we have created a simple guide that will walk you through the steps required to develop a business continuity plan. You can download the template plan and complete each section by following the easy steps here.

WREMO offers a free workshop open to any small and medium businesses. In this workshop we will talk about the simple steps and areas of your business you will need to think about in order to create a business continuity plan. Walk away from this 2 hour workshop with a basic plan already in place and get a chance to meet and network with other businesses.

Keep an eye on our Calendar of Events for the next workshop near you!

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How awesome are the rangatahi in our region?!

In August, we were lucky enough to attend a business proposal by a talented group of Māori and Pasifika students from Bishop Viard College in Porirua.

The boys showcased their business, "District" - a brand focused on emergency grab bags!

After speaking to friends and whānau in their community, they created District Emergency Safe Kits. Part of their business model focuses on a 'pay-it-forward' system. People or businesses who purchase a District Emergency Safe Kit have the option to purchase another that can be gifted to community members in Porirua.

We love to see our rangatahi getting involved and problem solving in their community! Shout out to Porirua City Council for their support.

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Mt Victoria and Inner City: Emergency Response Practice - September 8th 2024

Belmont Hill: Emergency Response Practice - September 14th 2024

Martinborough: Emergency Response Practice - September 21st 2024

Taueru: Emergency Response Practice - September 25th 2024

Masterton: Emergency Response Practice - October 9th 2024

Porirua: Early Childhood Education Planning Workshop - October 21st 2024

Porirua: Schools Emergency Planning Workshop - October 29th 2024

Maoribank: Emergency Response Practice - November 21st 2024

For full details see the events page on our website.

Don’t see your area in our upcoming events, no problem!!

You can come along to any of our Emergency Response Practices or better yet, let us know if your community is keen to have a go at your local Community Emergency Hub.

It’s free, it’s fun and best of all, anyone can do it!!