evacuate! - Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management

eached, it will be possible to transfer evacuees to other
points around the country, and to family and friends
outside evacuated zones. This subsequent transfer is
recommended to decrease the effect on public resources,
and for the preservation of mental health and emotional
support, as it is essential to counteract subsequent
negative impacts on the evacuees. The National Evacuee
Registration system will be required, so that enquiries
from friends and relations can be dealt with effectively.
As the largest city in New Zealand, Auckland is
expected to have the largest accommodation resource
of the cities considered, with numerous hotels, motels,
and schools. The short-term accommodation sources
are friends and family, motels, camping grounds, and
dormitories. Most evacuees are expected and are
recommended to travel to these sources once leaving
the evacuation shelters. Auckland is also thought to be a
good medium and longer-term shelter (and relocation)
destination, because of the accommodation resources
and potential employment opportunities available.
For short-term shelter purposes, Hamilton can
provide up to 900 beds, which would include both
motel and marae accommodation. Longer-term shelter
resources include various hotels, motels and camping
grounds. Hamilton would be a good medium-term
sheltering destination, however less so for short-term
shelter.
Taupo may be an interim destination, and as
such will be able to provide a small amount of support
shelter. Taupo and the surrounding district have welfare
centres, including the Great Lake Centre and the
Events Centre (which can accommodate ~100 each),
plus primary schools (22) and motels, which may be
available for short-term shelter.
The Tauranga-Western Bay Emergency
Management Civil Defence Plan (2002) states that
the preferred option for short-term emergency
accommodation for smaller numbers of evacuees is the
use of the combined district/region’s hotels and motels.
It states that should large numbers be involved, other
facilities will be used. It also states that registers of
locations and premises suitable for short-term shelter for
evacuees are held by the Emergency Operations Centre.
Arrangements for long-term accommodation and/or
resettlement of displaced persons are to be addressed by
the appropriate Disaster Recovery Manager.
Major shelter facilities (able to provide catering,
showers, car-parking, accommodation) include Tauranga
Racecourse, Greerton; Papamoa Sports Club, Papamoa;
Bay Park Stadium, Te Mauna; QEII Memorial Hall,
Tauranga; Blake Park Stadium, Mt Maunganui; and
Community Centre, Waihi Beach. Medium-term
facilities (greater than 72 hours) include motels,
campground cabins, caravan parks and sites, with total
capacity estimated to be around 8,000 people. However,
as previously noted, Tauranga is not the best medium or
long-term sheltering location.
CONCLUSIONS
Local authorities are certainly aware of the
possible need for evacuation in the event of an eruption;
the National Contingency Plan for Volcanic Eruptions
(within the National Civil Defence Plan) highlights the
need for awareness of volcanic hazard management and
preparedness. However detailed evacuation plans for
all areas must be established well before any eruption
occurs. Once there are signs of an impending eruption,
it is too late to have a well managed, orderly evacuation.
How many local people in the potential evacuation areas
are aware of the possibility of evacuation is an open
question, but one that should be addressed as detailed
plans are drawn up.
REFERENCES
Auckland Regional Council. 1996. Strategy
for evacuees from outside Auckland region. Being the
Auckland Regional Council Civil Defence Plan for the
northerly evacuation of Ruapehu District by resources
wholly from the Auckland region. Auckland Regional
Council. 25p.
Barnard, S. 2003. Potential effects of any future
1886-type eruption from Tarawera volcano on the Bay
of Plenty region. Unpublished MSc thesis, University of
Canterbury, Christchurch.
Census, 2001. [www.stats.govt.nz].
Dow, K. and Cutter, S.I. 2002. Emerging
Hurricane Evacuation Issues: Hurricane Floyd and South
Carolina. Natural Hazards Review 3: 12-18.
Land Transport Authority. 2000. Motor Vehicle
Registration Statistics.
Mader, C.G. and Blair, M.L. 1987. Living with
a volcanic threat: Response to volcanic hazards, Long
Valley, California. William Sprangle, Portola Valley,
California. 105p.
Nairn, I.A., Self, S., Cole, J.W., Leonard, G.S. and
Scutter, C. 2001. Distribution, stratigraphy, and history
of proximal deposits from the c.AD 1305 Kaharoa
eruptive episode at Tarawera Volcano, New Zealand,
New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 44:
467-484.
Tauranga-WBOP Emergency Management.
2002. Civil Defence Plan 2002. Emergency Management
Office, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga.
Johnston, D., Nairn, I., Martin, R. 2002.
Proximal impacts of the ~1305AD Kaharoa eruption on
modern day New Zealand. Institute of Geological and
Nuclear Sciences Science Report 2002/18. 28p.
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TEPHRA
June 2004