Waitaki Gears up to Help

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At a meeting convened this morning in Oamaru, Mayor Alex Familton spoke to a group of local community people who had come together to shares ideas on how our community could best reach out and help the people of Christchurch. A team from our local Fire Service along with a fire appliance were dispatched to assist last night.

“Our local Civil Defence people are trained to help in situations like this. “ said Mayor Familton, “we will be providing specialist help to Christchurch as and when requested from the Group Emergency Operations Centre.”

Today Council has agreed to co-ordinate activities through the Council Civil Defence system. Members of the public are encouraged to either email or telephone Council if they are in a position to assist in anyway. In the first instance we are preparing a list of short term accommodation available and we invite members of the community who may be able to provide accommodation to contact the council on 433 0300 or to email customer services at service@waitaki.govt.nz

The Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust is also accepting donations of food and clothing at their facility in Chelmer St, as are the Salvation Army. Both St Kevins and Waitaki Boys High Schools have offered emergency accommodation in their hostels and this offer has already been taken up.
A follow- up meeting of the community group that met today is likely to be held in the near future.

“We need to be ready to respond when the call comes through from the Group Emergency Operations Centre in Christchurch,” said Mayor Familton.