Three councils continue to work together throughout Alert Level 3
The saying “we’re all in this together” encapsulates the efforts of three councils who have been working together for the last month to operate the Western Waikato Emergency Operation Centre (WWEOC).
Council meeting rooms in Te Awamutu have been a hive of activity with staff still adhering to safe practices, together with staff working remotely to provide the Civil Defence response to this emergency.
Close to 35 staff from Waipā, Ōtorohanga and Waitomo District councils have been used since the combined Western Waikato EOC was established to carry out Civil Defence Emergency Management - seven days a week.
Waipā District Council usually activates a local Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for civil defence emergency management at a local district response, however the COVID-19 response has required a wider Western Waikato response due to its classification as a severe national event.
The lead agency for an emergency changes depending on the type of emergency situation with the Ministry of Health leading the pandemic response.
The WWEOC stood up at 8am on Thursday 26 March to support the Waikato District Health Board’s response. It will continue to operate after the move to Alert Level 3 on Tuesday 28 April as well as other lower alert levels.
At the helm of the WWEOC is the local controller - a role shared between Andrew Loe (Ōtorohanga), David Simes and Wayne Allan (Waipā).
Simes says the WWEOC is all about ensuring the community is cared for in the best possible way while supporting the district health board’s response.
“The health and safety of our communities is paramount and the staff from Waipā, Ōtorohanga and Waitomo district councils are dedicated to ensuring support is provided in the safest possible way.”
The centre is responsible for the safety and welfare of the community, information gathering, logistics and the roll out of assistance to those most in need throughout a crisis.
Council staff have been seconded to new roles in order to operate the centre, while distancing themselves from each other and regularly sanitising their hands and work stations.
While many of those staff will remain in the WWEOC as councils start to return to business as usual, some are required to return to their regular roles.
“Where this happens, we call on our neighbouring districts to provide the next wave of support.
“The benefit of having trained civil defence staff is that anyone with the suitable training can step in and pick up where things left off. It’s how we’re also able to step in to other districts that need support,” Simes added.
The positions range from distributing goods to local food banks, checking on people and businesses that are not abiding by the essential service guidelines, gathering regional information and distributing key information to the public to organising grocery and household goods to be delivered to vulnerable people.
People in need of assistance can phone the Waikato Welfare Call Centre on 0800 800 405 between 7am and 7pm daily to get support. Calls are needs assessed and sent through to local emergency operations centres.
The WWEOC has also established a volunteer ‘buddy’ system across the three districts which pairs local volunteers with vulnerable people requiring ongoing support.
Volunteer buddies can assist those in need with buying groceries, medication and household goods, providing psychosocial support and transporting to and from essential appointments.
“Our buddies really are the unsung heroes. They unselfishly give up their time over many weeks to help others, and we would like to sincerely thank and acknowledge them for their help.”
The volunteer buddy system and 0800 800 405 helpline will continue to operate at all levels of the response.
Keep up to date with what’s happening at the WWEOC at waipadc.govt.nz/our- services/civildefence and visit www.covid19.govt.nz for up to date COVID-19 information and alert levels.