Property GUARDIAN
Guardian ASHBURTO N
SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
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ASHBURTON
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Friday, Sept 20, 2013
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Hinds not able to call 111 in winds BY SUSAN SANDYS
SUSAN.S@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Ashburton District Councillors have demanded a report from telecommunications providers after Hinds residents could not contact emergency services during this month’s wind storm. Councillor Neil Brown said Hinds’ telephone exchange lost power during the storm, lost reception from its cellphone tower, and back-up battery power ran out. “Communication is vital to get emergency services,” Mr Brown said. After the 2006 snow, Telecom and Chorus installed switches into roadside cabinets so generators could be attached, and Mr Brown’s understanding was that generators were to be stored in Timaru. He asked civil defence co-ordinator Don Geddes at yesterday’s council environmental services meeting what happened to those generators.
“The question is where were these generators stored in Timaru that didn’t turn up?” Mr Brown asked. Mr Geddes said his understanding was the telecommunications companies had an arrangement with roadside farmers to undertake the work, however, Mr Brown said any generators farmers had would be for their own power needs in an emergency situation. He requested a report on why the emergency plan failed. Councillor Stuart Wilson, of Hinds, moved a motion to that effect and said during the storm he had been without internet, power, cellphone and landline. Councillor Alan Totty seconded it, saying he had received a number of complaints about cellphones not working. Councillors decided to request from the appropriate communications providers information on what emergency plans were in place.
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Ashburton Noel Leeming manager Malcolm Brears presents a new washing machine to Ashburton family Daniel Newton, Bianca MacDonald and 16-month-old Shelby, who lost everything in a house fire this month. PHOTO DONNA WYLIE 190913-DW-003
Generous gift for fire-hit family BY GABRIELLE STUART GABRIELLE.S@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Noel Leeming Ashburton has organised a brand new washing machine for the Ashburton couple who lost their home to fire this month – all Bianca MacDonald and Daniel Newton need is clothes to wash in it. The couple’s rental home of two years was destroyed by fire almost three weeks ago, leaving them with little more than the clothing they were wearing. But the future is looking brighter for the family of three, who began moving into
a new home on Wednesday and have seen the community rally to help them furnish it. Mr Newton was staying positive about the family’s situation. “We don’t have much to unpack, so it’s almost done already. “There’s plenty of space to move around in the new place, so in some ways it’s a lot better than what we had.” The next task for the pair will be organising donated household items, which have been stored across the district while the couple searched for a
new home. He said that clothing was another challenge, especially for their 16-month-old daughter. “We’ve had a lot of clothes donated but it’s hard to find stuff that fits.” Staff at Noel Leeming Ashburton donated six months supply of washing powder to the couple, as well as arranging the washing machine donated by Fisher and Paykel. Ashburton store manager Malcolm Brears said that the staff wanted to do what they could to help the family get back on their feet. Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!
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