Neighbourhood support vital in times of crisis

By Senior Community Constable Russ Smith

Our small piece of paradise sits on top of a part of the Earth’s crust where two massive tectonic plates collide. This leaves much of New Zealand prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.  Recently scientists have announced that the likelihood of a massive earthquake triggered by movement in the Alpine fault, is extremely high within the next 30 years.

While we can’t stop the onset of disasters like these and the likes of floods, storms and large-scale fires, we can prepare ourselves to have a better chance of surviving with essential supplies until disaster relief efforts eventually reach us.

It is a fact that emergency services and the teams that respond to disasters will be busy for several days just responding to the most serious issues after a big event, so the average household may be left to their own devices for up to a week or more, depending on the disaster.

To survive the days after a major disaster, you need to make sure you have a plan for what you will do in a disaster and ensure you have food and other supplies to get you through.

Being a member of a Neighbourhood Support Group is a great way of ensuring that you and your family are support through a disaster, that you are prepared and that members of the group are batter off through sharing resources.

You can learn more about getting ready by checking out www.geatready.govt.nz online, and you can explore starting a neighbourhood support group by emailing the Marlborough Coordinator of Top of the South Neighbourhood Support, Charlotte Wood, at charlotte@tsns.org.nz