Q&A t r a w SHOhWaICKrWoARnDSCOte UNCILLOR
E AND CHAIR CDEM COMMITTE t has been involved Howick Ward councillor, Sharon Stewar ally with the former in local body politics for 23 years, initi kland City Council since Manukau City Council and then on Auc l Defence Emergency 2010 where she is chair of Council’s Civi tee’s role is to provide Management Committee. The commit M sector and to direction and leadership across the CDE ngements across the oversee coordinated civil defence arra rder or a natural Auckland region in the event of civil diso e rocked NZ over disaster. Several natural disasters hav earthquakes to the past decade from the Christchurch in Auckland so, recent flooding incidents, and a tornado ld cope in an EastLife asked Sharon how the city wou . Auckland-wide civil defence emergency Sharon Stewart.
How did you become Chair of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee? Did you have a previous interest in civil defence? The Mayor makes decisions regarding the council’s committee structure and who chairs each committee. Eight years ago, I expressed my interest and experience in civil defence to the then Mayor and was pleased that he supported me in taking on the role. I have been interested in civil defence and search and rescue for a long time and was involved in organising New Zealand’s first international search and rescue deployment to help in Taiwan after an extreme earthquake in September, 1999. More than 2400 people lost their lives, and over 11,000 were injured. Howick has a large Taiwanese community, and I reached out to see how NZ could help. There was no budget or plan to send a team overseas, but I spoke with several Taiwanese businesspeople who generously provided the funding. Having had the hands-on experience in such seriously quake-
14 | eastlife | september/october 2021
affected areas, the team returned with a lot of new knowledge and skill which they passed on to others in the search and rescue sector. What is the role of the CDEM Committee? The committee is a legislative requirement under the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002 and is the strategic forum for civil defence and emergency management planning and policy. When an emergency happens, the Mayor is authorised to declare a state of emergency. In his absence, the Deputy Mayor, chair, or members of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee are empowered to do so.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) (formerly the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management) representative as an observer at our CDEM committee meetings. Does the Army have a role in emergency management? The New Zealand Defence Force has a very important role. It provides support and assistance by supplying resources and equipment during civil defence emergencies. Auckland CDEM co-ordinates emergency responses in Auckland and liaises with key partners such as the NZ Defence Force as required.
Do you liaise with the Ministry of Civil Defence?
Auckland is on an isthmus, surrounded by water. How likely is it that we would experience a tsunami? What advice is given?
Absolutely. Our Auckland CDEM Group Plan (2016-2021) is our vision and goal for emergency management in Auckland and was developed to align with the Ministry’s vision to ensure we are working towards a common national goal. We also have a
Auckland’s coastline is vulnerable to inundation from flooding and tsunami, particularly in low lying areas. We are, however, somewhat sheltered by large land masses such as Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula which could reduce the force of a wave.
Aucklanders can have a look at the Auckland Council Hazard Viewer online to see if their home is in a tsunami evacuation zone, or at risk of flooding or coastal inundation. In the event of a tsunami, those near the coast should immediately go to high ground or as far inland as possible. Do not go to the shore to watch! Take pets and an emergency getaway bag if you can. Emergency response agencies will send out warnings and with updated emergency information being broadcast by radio. What about the likelihood of other natural disasters such as an earthquake or a volcano, given that Auckland is home to some 60+ volcanic sites? The Auckland Volcanic Field has a low probability of eruption. Our alert level is currently at O, ‘No Volcanic Unrest’, and experts believe we’re unlikely to see a volcanic eruption in our lifetime. The National Geohazards Monitoring Centre is continuously monitoring for earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic activity throughout New Zealand. www.eastlife.co.nz
