‘Much can be learnt from Southland floods’

Press, 23 August 1984, Page 9

‘Much can be learnt from Southland floods’

Civil Defence in Canterbury had much to learn from the experience of the Southland floods, said the Canterbury United Council’s regional Civil Defence officer, Mr Jack Brunton, yesterday. Speaking to a meeting of the United Council’s regional Civil Defence committee, Mr Brunton discussed several recommendations for civil defence in Canterbury arising from a talk given in Christchurch by Invercargill’s regional Civil Defence officer, Mr W. T. Early, in June. Mr Brunton said that many members of the public did not appreciate how important it was to know what to do in a civil defence emergency. “The public have got to be made aware of the contents of the last of the yellow pages,” he said. Efforts were being made

by Civil Defence in this area. It was important that there were at least three back-up workers for all key Civil Defence personnel, said Mr Brunton. The chairman of the committee, Cr R. W. J. Harrington, said that many senior Civil Defence workers in Invercargill during the floods became tired and inefficient because they were being asked to do too much. Mr Brunton said that a sophisticated registration and inquiry system was needed for disaster evacuees. A computer programme had been prepared for the Christchurch Combined Civil Defence District to use for this purpose. The need for a registration system had become apparent after Cyclone Tracey hit Darwin in 1974. No accurate record was kept then of

where evacuees had been sent. “It will save time and heartache that occurs after a disaster, with people trying to locate their relatives,” he said. Another point arising from the Southland floods was the need for close liaison between emergency services, said Mr Brunton. This was catered for in Christchurch by the Emergency Services Committee, which was co-ordinated by the police and encompassed all disaster groups in the Christchurch area. Mr Brunton said that he hoped to organise a meeting in mid-October to co-ordi-nate policy on what to do in cases of flooding in both sub-emergency and emergency situations. This would incorporate engineers from all territorial local authorities in the district, as well

as engineers from the Drainage Board, Catchment Board, and Harbour Board. Defence plan The committee examined a draft of the United Council’s regional civil defence plan, and recommended that it be adopted by the council and submitted to the Civil Defence Commissioner for approval. The Civil Defence Act, 1983, requires all United Councils to prepare a regional civil defence plan. The new plan replaces the one prepared by the United Council in 1979. The 45-page document sets out the Civil Defence organisation in Canterbury, defines threats, and sets out the mechanisms of warning systems in emergencies. It also discusses the declaration of a civil defence emergency and the functioning of the operations centre and communications section.