Civil Defence alert systems being tested this weekend
Apps, alerts and some fixed sirens will be tested this weekend, as Bay of Plenty Emergency Management carries out their second alerting test of the year.
Director Clinton Naude said the focus for Sunday evening’s test is making sure that the systems and processes in place behind the scenes are all working as they should.
"Importantly, it also provides a valuable opportunity for the public to make sure they’re ready should an emergency occur," he said.
"If you have a smartphone and haven’t already downloaded the Red Cross Hazard App and set it up, I strongly recommend you do. The app is free, and there are instructions about how to set it up so it works for you on the Red Cross website – it’s an incredibly useful tool for keeping informed."
The app can be set up to monitor different locations and hazard types, and users only get alerts for the locations they are monitoring.
"This is a great feature if you have family living in a different part of the country," Mr Naude said. "You can set it up to get alerts for the Bay of Plenty, and if you have family living in Canterbury you can also keep an eye on what is happening there."
This weekend’s test will occur around the same time as the Ministry for Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) tests its Emergency Mobile Alerts.
"Emergency Mobile Alerts are another great tool that Civil Defence can use to keep the community informed in case of emergency, and the test of this system will be managed by MCDEM staff."
Also being tested this weekend will be fixed sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty (Whakatāne, Ōhope and Ōpōtiki), vehicle mounted sirens in Tanners Point, and text alerts. The test will occur on Sunday evening.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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61.7% Summer
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36.7% Winter
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1.6% Other - I'll share below
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
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