Calling All Veterans: Taskforce Kiwi

Are you a defence or emergency services veteran keen to utiliise your skills in the service of communities hit by natural disaster? Taskforce Kiwi might just be for you, writes Triplex Consulting’s Ross Browne.

Taskforce Kiwi, a volunteer organisation dedicated to helping communities in the aftermath of natural disasters, is up and running. And if you’re a veteran, or have a background as a firefighter, police officer, or someone with operational, support or emergency management skills, it needs your support.

TF Kiwi’s mission is to utilise the skills and experience of defence and emergency services veterans to help communities get back on their feet, working alongside emergency services agencies and other volunteer organisations.

The skills required for each mission are dependent on the circumstances and the stage the recovery has reached. In the early stages they may include assessing the impact and damage, from the air and on the ground. As recovery progresses the demand is for clearing and disposing of debris, emergency construction, repair of structures, plant operations, logistics support, and management of volunteers. The tasks are interesting and variable, and directly relevant to the existing skills and experience of volunteers.

As an organisation dedicated to serving communities, humanitarian principles are at the forefront. These include addressing human suffering wherever it is found especially for vulnerable people, being impartial in the case of an armed conflict or dispute, and remaining autonomous from political, military or other objectives.

A recent deployment saw TF Kiwi providing support across the Tasman in the aftermath of the extreme flooding event in northern New South Wales earlier this year. Several months on, and with some families still living in tents grappling with chilly weather and sick kids, Taskforce Kiwi volunteers went to the Northern Rivers region of NSW to assist, with seven deployed volunteers providing $18,200 worth of skilled labour over a week. Group leader Richard Adams at the time described the situation as “grim.”

“The floods were six months ago now but could have been last week – the town’s still getting back on its feet,” he said. “The group’s been helping repair homes, remove flood debris, deliver supplies to families, and clear vegetation in case fires follow the floods. The locals are surprised to see a bunch of Kiwis show up, but are extremely grateful for the help, especially as many feel as though they’ve been forgotten.”

The help is a two-way street, with the group using the trip to learn more about disaster recovery so they can help flood-hit communities back in New Zealand.

TF Kiwi’s leadership have been engaging with NZDF, Veteran’s Affairs and the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMA) on a no-surprises basis, and to ensure the skills of TF Kiwi volunteers can be effectively utilised in the aftermath of natural disasters at home and abroad.

If you’re interested in getting involved, Taskforce Kiwi is currently recruiting. The full spectrum of skills are needed – from hands on the tools, through to logistics, intelligence and training.

Want to get stuck in? Go to taskforcekiwi.org and fill in the Expression of Interest form. It could start you on the way to an exciting and very rewarding experience with like-minded people.