Council offers support

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The Queenstown Lakes District Council has two teams on standby to head to Christchurch.

“We have made a formal offer of support to Canterbury in response to a call for expertise in certain sectors. The teams will include trained emergency management response personnel,” QLDC chief executive Debra Lawson said.

Those teams were now on standby and would leave for Christchurch subject to a needs analysis.
“We have said we have people ready, it is a matter of when they will be required,” she said.

It was expected the teams of up to six people would rotate through a 3-4 day secondment.

“Naturally we have staff ready and willing to leave today but emergency management is about a co-ordinated response. We may not be called on today or tomorrow but we will be called upon when we are needed,” Ms Lawson said.

On a more practical note a full survey of infrastructure had been carried out in the Queenstown Lakes District and there were no reports of any damage.

“Clearly we are in a sound position to now look to Canterbury and offer what we can,” Ms Lawson said.
A message of support from Mayor Vanessa van Uden had been sent directly to Mayor Bob Parker.
“Quite simply I offered our thoughts and prayers and more practically, any assistance we can offer,” Mayor van Uden said.

Help and offers of assistance had started to come in to the Council and a schedule was now being formulated.

Offers of accommodation could be made at the Council in the first instance but Queenstown I-Site had volunteered to co-ordinate.

“We know people will be making their way out of Christchurch for respite and we are receiving offers from hotel beds through to home billeting,” Ms Lawson said.

Other offers of expertise were being channelled by the Council to the Canterbury Group.

“Where there are direct calls for assistance coming out of Christchurch - such as medical expertise - people in our district should respond directly to the numbers set up,” Ms Lawson said.

“People of the Lakes District can take some small comfort that this community has sent a clear message that it is ready and willing to assist.”

Further information could be found at www.canterburyearthquake.org.nz

ENDS

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