Being prepared for flooding

Takaka Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Phil Woolf is encouraging all our volunteer fire brigades to do the Working Safely Around Water training.

“Scientific evidence shows that our climate is changing and many of these changes pose serious risks to safety, property, and infrastructure. Extreme drought, heat, and rainfall are projected to get worse in many parts of New Zealand and around the world and in extreme weather events we need to be able to respond in a way that keeps our people and our communities safe.

“It is important that our resources and training are fit for purpose but, more importantly, that we know how to apply them.”

Phil refers to recent events such as the severe flooding in Northland in July and three significant weather events in Golden Bay over the last five years that have resulted in flooding.

“These flooding events are not going to go away so the best thing is to be prepared.”

The Working Safely Around Water training module is on Learning Station(external link). (Search for 'Working safely around water'). If you are based in a rural fire district or volunteer brigade and have any problems getting onto learning station, please contact WorkingSafelyAroundWater@fireandemergency.nz – the project team will send you a USB to use for the training and will talk to you about completing the training records.