Recognition for Emergency Operations Centre staff
The efforts of more than 60 people who staffed Wairarapa’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) during the COVID-19 response were recognised at the Carterton Events Centre today (Thursday, 30 July).
The EOC was the first to be activated in the Wellington region, and one of the first nationally, after a case of community transmission was confirmed in Carterton.
It involved staff from the three district councils, Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office.
The EOC’s role was to support the Ministry of Health, as the lead agency, coordinating welfare services for people directly impacted, working with emergency services, and delivering public communication.
EOC Local Controller David Hopman said it was appropriate to recognise what was an extraordinary effort by staff involved.
“The EOC was activated for 69 days – far longer than it would normally be operating for a civil defence emergency caused by the likes of a weather event.
“In the early days of the Level 4 lockdown, in particular, this was a very intense environment. We were planning for widespread infections and-worst case scenarios, which was very stressful at times and meant some long days - it wasn’t easy.
“What we want to do is acknowledge the efforts of everybody involved in getting through to this stage.
“Obviously the response to COVID-19 is continuing at a national level, and we continue to monitor the situation locally, but it is a good time to look back on what was achieved.”
The EOC was activated on 22 March and deactivated on 29 May.
⚠️ 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 ❤️
Wander more, worry less
Few things in life are as enriching as the thrill of travel or the camaraderie among friends. At Ryman’s Bert Sutcliffe Village in Auckland, a group of intrepid travellers have combined the two.
It all began when Bert Sutcliffe Village resident Marie began arranging evenings at the theatre for her neighbours. The theatre enthusiasts soon became close friends and as their friendships developed so did their adventures, expanding their horizons to include long lunches, winery tours, group dinners and adventurous holidays in New Zealand and overseas.
Click read more for the full story.
We're talking new year resolutions...
Tidying the house before going to bed each night, meditating upon waking or taking the stairs at work.
What’s something quick, or easy, that you started doing that made a major positive change in your life?
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