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Report
To:
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Bay of
Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee
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Meeting
Date:
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29
September 2023
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Report
Writer:
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Clinton Naude, Director, Emergency
Management Bay of Plenty
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Report Authoriser:
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Clinton Naude, Director, Emergency
Management Bay of Plenty
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Purpose:
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This report is to present the review
of the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group response to Cyclone Gabrielle
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Bay of Plenty
CDEM Group Response Review Cyclone Gabrielle
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Executive Summary
Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the North
Island of New Zealand in February 2023. On 12 February 2023 modelling
indicated that Cyclone Gabrielle would travel through the Bay of Plenty
region projecting that New Zealand would be impacted between 12-16 February
2023.
Bay of Plenty CDEM Group activated the Group Emergency
Coordination Centre and local authorities activated local Emergency
Operations Centres (as appropriate) in preparation for the impacts of Cyclone
Gabrielle. Territorial authorities and agency partners undertook preparedness
activities, precautionary evacuations and emergency communications.
States of Local Emergency were declared in
Ōpōtiki District, Whakatāne District and Western Bay of Plenty
District. These were then superseded by a State of Local Emergency being
declared for the Bay of Plenty.
A
national State of Emergency was declared on 14 February 2023.
The Bay of Plenty CDEM Group
commissioned independent consultants, Simplexity to undertake the review of
the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
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Recommendations
That the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency
Management Group Joint Committee:
1 Receives the report, Bay of Plenty CDEM Group Response
Review Cyclone Gabrielle.
2 Endorses incorporating the recommendations of
the report – Bay of Plenty CDEM Group Response Review Cyclone
Gabrielle July 2023 into
the continuous improvement plan for the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group.
1. Background
Severe Tropical Cyclone
Gabrielle devastated the North Island of New Zealand in February 2023. On 12 February
2023 modelling indicated that Cyclone Gabrielle would travel through the Bay of
Plenty region projecting that New Zealand would be impacted between 12-16
February 2023. The assessed impacts for the Bay of Plenty were primarily
focused on coastal inundation from storm surge with the impacts from river
flooding from rivers and catchments considered but not assessed as the main
concern for the region.
Bay of Plenty CDEM Group
activated the Group Emergency Coordination Centre and local authorities activated
local Emergency Operations Centres (as appropriate) in preparation for the
impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. Territorial authorities and agency partners
undertook preparedness activities, precautionary evacuations and emergency
communications.
States of Local Emergency were
declared in Ōpōtiki District, Whakatāne District and Western Bay
of Plenty District. These were then superseded by a State of Local Emergency
being declared for the Bay of Plenty.
While the Bay of Plenty did
experience impacts resulting from Cyclone Gabrielle, these were not as
significant in comparison to the impacts experienced by the regions of
Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Tairawhiti and Hawke’s Bay. A National
State of Emergency was declared on 14 February 2023.
2. Bay
of Plenty CDEM Group Response Review Cyclone Gabrielle
2.1 Reviewer
The Bay of
Plenty CDEM Group commissioned independent consultants, Simplexity to undertake
the review of the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group response to Cyclone Gabrielle. The
report – Bay of Plenty CDEM Group Response Review Cyclone Gabrielle
July 2023 is attached to this report.
2.2 Report Scope
The scope of
the review was to focus on structural arrangements, relationships, and
processes within the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group including:
• States
of Emergency
•
Activations of Emergency Coordination / Operations Centres
• Command
and Control arrangements
•
Emergency Management Products
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Emergency Communications
• Public
Information Management
• Risk
Management
• Welfare
• Roles
and Responsibilities
2.3 Recommendations
There are 19 recommendations made in the
report – Bay of Plenty CDEM Group Response Review Cyclone Gabrielle
July 2023 to support the strategic and operational areas of improvement
highlighted.
The recommendations have been considered
by the Bay of Plenty CDEM Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) at the meeting on
25 August 2023 and have been incorporated into the continuous improvement plan
for the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group.
3. Considerations
3.1 Risks and Mitigations
The report highlights a number
of lessons learnt which the Coordinating Executive Group has directed Emergency
Management Bay of Plenty to include in the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group continuous
improvement programme.
3.2 Climate Change
The matters addressed in this
report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate
change impacts.
3.3 Implications for Māori
Engagement with Māori with
be undertaken moving forward.
3.4 Community Engagement
Engagement with the community
will be done moving forward.
3.5 Alignment with Strategic Framework
The continuous improvement programme will align with
the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan 2018-2023
3.6 Financial Implications
There are no material unbudgeted
financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.
4. Next Steps
Based on findings from Cyclone
Gabrielle response debriefs and stakeholder interviews across the Bay of Plenty
CDEM Group and partner agencies, this report highlights a number of strengths
to build upon as well as opportunities for development. The recommendations
contained within the report findings will be used at the local and CDEM Group
level to ensure effective community support during future emergencies.
These observations will be used to
influence planning and preparedness initiatives for future events. They will
inform the continuous improvement plan for the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group having
been incorporated into work programs for 2023 forward.
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Attachments
Attachment 1 - FINAL_Bay of Plenty CDEM Group_Response
Review_Cyclone Gabrielle ⇩
