Reminder of the support services available to all personnel

As clean-ups continue following the heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds that affected many parts of the country over the weekend, we'd like to say thank you to all those who responded to the high number of incidents.

Some of you have experienced extensive damage to your homes, properties and towns, and now face these personal challenges while continuing to provide the support your area and districts need.  

It's therefore an important time to remind you that there is wider support available for you and your whānau.

All personnel and immediate family members can self-refer to counselling through Vitae by calling 0508 664 981 or using the online referral form(external link). Vitae can then organise a counselling session or a telephone consultation if required and can offer support services for personal issues such as stress, financial problems, personal relationships, and trauma support (personal or workplace), as well as support for workplace issues. 

This is also a good time to remind you to look after yourself and monitor your fatigue. While it can be very difficult during times of high incident response, this isn’t sustainable, and it is vital that you and your people get time to rest. Read more about coping with fatigue here 

Region Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisors and Welfare Officers are also available to help with local support if needed.