Taking care of people during Cyclone Gabrielle
Civil Defence is all about looking after the welfare of our people. If you are in need of immediate help, please call us on 09-430-4200 for the latest information and advice.
If the storm makes it unsafe to stay in your home, there will be two types of places you can go.
1️⃣ Community led welfare centres
These can be established in local facilities including Marae and Halls. These are setup quickly by local communities as required and supported by Civil Defence.
There are two community-led welfare centres already operating for the homeless community of Whangarei: Terenga Paraoa Marae on Porowini Avenue (Central Whangarei) and 155 Whare Āwhina (Open Arms), at 155 Kamo Road.
2️⃣ Civil Defence Emergency Evacuation Centres
These are fully operated by Civil Defence, intended to shelter large numbers of people if necessary. We have prepared, but not opened, an evacuation centre at McKay Stadium in Kensington. It can be activated quickly if necessary.
We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of support we can already see in the community. If you're safe and dry at home please check in on your neighbours too. Make sure you're prepared for a water outage or a power cut, have a flood plan, and think of indoor activities for kids.
🦺 Kia kaha community - come together and stand strong.
Photo: Our Emergency Operations Centre in the Council Chambers at Forum North (file photo from earlier this year)
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Who’s the Smarty-Pants in the Neighbourhood? Let’s Find Out!
I’m not alive, yet I grow with care.
I wear ornaments, lights, and sometimes a star to bear.
My evergreen presence fills the air, bringing joy to the hearts of those who prepare.
What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.