New Zealand Red Cross teams to take part in emergency exercise

Around 100 New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Welfare and Support Team (DWST) volunteers from around the North Island will take part in an emergency exercise in Pāpāmoa this weekend, strengthening their readiness to provide welfare support to communities during a disaster.

The exercise will give volunteers the opportunity to work together in a simulated emergency scenario, practise their skills, test emergency welfare arrangements, and become more familiar with Red Cross equipment, systems and operational resources in preparation for real emergencies, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and cyclones.

New Zealand Red Cross Director of Domestic Operations, Jackie Bubb, says regular training and emergency exercises are important to ensure Red Cross people are ready to respond and can provide effective support when communities need it most.

“Emergencies can have a significant impact on people and communities. Our Disaster Welfare and Support Team plays an important role in helping people through these difficult times, providing practical and emotional support.

“Exercises like this give our volunteers the chance to work together and test their skills in a realistic environment, identify what works well, where we can improve, and prepare for the challenges they may face during a real emergency.”

During an emergency, Disaster Welfare and Support Teams may be called on to work alongside emergency management agencies and other response organisations. Their work can include setting up and supporting evacuation and welfare centres, carrying out needs assessments and welfare checks in communities, and providing practical and emotional support to people affected in an emergency.

As part of this weekend’s exercise, Disaster Welfare and Support Team members will visit some homes in the Pāpāmoa area on Saturday to practise their community outreach skills. Team members will be wearing New Zealand Red Cross uniforms, and flyers have been left in residents’ mailboxes ahead of Saturday to let them know about the activity in their area.

“Team members will share practical emergency preparedness information and talk with residents about simple ways households can be good and ready for an emergency. Taking part in these conversations is completely optional, and there’s no obligation for residents to speak with our team members. We appreciate everyone who does have time to stop and talk with us,” says Jackie.

New Zealand Red Cross has 23 Disaster Welfare and Support Teams across Aotearoa New Zealand, made up of 320 trained volunteers who can help their local communities and, when required, support responses in other parts of the country.

Media enquiries

Please contact: media.comms@redcross.org.nz 

More information

• Find out more about what we do in emergencies and disasters
• Thanks to our incredible donors and Disaster Response Alliance partners, ASB and Woolworths, whose support enables us to continue helping communities – before, during and after emergencies. Read more