MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release: 28 July 2011

Huge effort to heat quake damaged homes

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) says its project manager Fletcher EQR has done everything possible to ensure Christchurch residents, particularly the most vulnerable, remain warm through the winter months.

The winter heating programme was established to ensure households with an EQC claim, who had lost their primary heating source can stay warm, particularly through winter. Priority was given to those homes with occupants who are sick, elderly or who have young children, or houses with no other heating source.

EQC Acting Chief Executive Bryan Dunne says Fletcher EQR has done its utmost to ensure no-one in Christchurch has gone without heat.

“Everything possible has been done to help people with their heating. If there is anyone in Christchurch who has fallen through the cracks we want to hear about it as soon as possible so we can take action.”

“Fletcher EQR made more than 100,000 phone calls in an effort to track down all those in need of winter heating.”

“They contacted the voluntary agencies and used the databases provided by those agencies to contact people. Fletcher EQR also liaised with government departments responsible for working with the most vulnerable people in society.”

“There was also extensive EQC advertising explaining what people need to do to contact Fletcher EQR if they are without heat,” said Mr Dunne.

Fletcher EQR has installed almost 7000 heat pumps and nearly 2500 solid fuel installations since the programme began.

‘’The heat pumps installed have been pre-approved by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) as energy efficient,” said Mr Dunne.

The programme is now entering a new phase but Mr Dunne says work has not stopped, slowed down or been delayed.

“Fletcher EQR is now gradually moving into phase two of the programme which is for houses where people claimed they needed additional heating but didn’t require it urgently for this winter. Any urgent heating needs will however still take priority,” said Mr Dunne.

EQC is one of a number of organisations working with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) on rebuilding greater Christchurch and its surrounds, and supporting the welfare of its residents. For more information visit www.cera.govt.nz

ENDS

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