Wednesday 23 January 2011

ROTORUA 23.02.11: Mayor Winters shocked and saddened by loss of life and devastation

Rotorua District Council (RDC) is this morning mobilising the city’s rescue team ahead of travelling to Christchurch to help with the rescue of people trapped in earthquake damaged buildings and vehicles.

RDC chief executive Peter Guerin said the council had received a request overnight from the government’s Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) crisis centre in Wellington for urgent assistance with the rescue effort. He said they had specifically asked for Rotorua’s search and rescue team to be deployed.

CDEM advised that rescuing trapped people remained the top priority in Christchurch at present and Mr Guerin had responded that the council would do whatever it could to assist.

“Our team is made up of nine experienced Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) trained volunteers, along with two vehicles and our special-purpose emergency equipment mobile trailer unit. The rescue team will take enough food and water to sustain themselves over a five day period.

“Since the early hours of this morning they've been getting the mobile unit and equipment prepared and fully stocked, and they're leaving Rotorua later this morning to drive to Wellington. The rescue team is required to be in the capital by this evening for the 6.30pm Cook Strait ferry sailing, and will then drive on to Christchurch where they will immediately start work.

Mr Guerin said the council was separately pulling together an inventory of available specialist personnel as part of a possible Bay of Plenty regional group response to the earthquake.

“At this stage we aren’t sure what other services may be required in Christchurch to help with the earthquake effort. However our regional group emergency management headquarters based at the regional council in Whakatane is compiling an inventory of available resources from councils in the Bay of Plenty in readiness for any request from Christchurch for further assistance.”

Meanwhile Mayor Kevin Winters said he was shocked and saddened at the devastation Christchurch was experiencing and he knew the thoughts of all Rotorua residents were with the people of Christchurch right now.

“These are the very saddest of times and our hearts and aroha go out to the Christchurch community. The loss of life and the devastation is really beyond our wildest imagination and we understand the enormous impact it must be having on the people of Christchurch. As fellow New Zealanders we stand alongside them and share their grief.

“As a council and as a community we will play our part in helping our brothers and sisters in Christchurch to recover and get back on their feet. I'm very pleased that our support is starting immediately with the dispatch of Rotorua's search and rescue team to Christchurch to assist emergency services there.”

ENDS

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