Fire and Emergency NZ sends taskforce team to support severe weather event response in Tairāwhiti.
23 June 2023
Fire and Emergency NZ has mobilised a taskforce team to assist and support Tairāwhiti District during the current severe weather event.
Assistant National Commander Steve Turek says a four member crew from Hawkes Bay left Hawkes Bay around 5pm this afternoon to drive up to Tairāwhiti and an Auckland crew of four flew to Gisborne, landing at around 8.30pm.
'These teams make up a taskforce with the ability to assist in a multiple number of ways with this weather event,' Steve Turek says.
'We are working within a declared state of emergency and therefore under the control of Tairāwhiti Civil Defence. The flooding currently being experienced, while significant, is not beyond the capability of local multi-agency resources. This includes water rescue, if required, being carried out by Surf Lifesaving crews. This is standard practice in Tairāwhiti and we have utmost confidence in the arrangement in place to meet the potential needs of the local communities.'