When the threat of another potentially devastating weather event was baring down on our home-base of Hawke’s Bay in April, our region knew what to do.
In the days before Cyclone Vaianu was due to hit, supermarkets were packed with people stocking up on water, food, and batteries. The Warehouse and others sold out of essentials like battery‑powered radios (I know, because I tried to find one at the last minute!).
This time, authorities charged with responding to an emergency had several days’ notice to prepare for what might come and the forecasts were for significant impacts.
Despite what some believe, Civil Defence isn’t a standing army – it’s mostly a network of trained Council staff, response agencies, like Police and FENZ, and community groups, most notably the dedicated marae and church networks, who put down their day jobs and come together as one team.
Across the country most took a cautious approach, and it turned out that was more than warranted with the evacuations, surface flooding, raging rivers and slips that eventuated.
Thankfully, unlike regions to the north, Hawke’s Bay was spared the worst of the impact as Vaianu unexpectedly veered east and moved back out to sea.
And while there were the usual ‘cry wolf’ criticisms – the overwhelming majority of people supported councils preparing early and thoroughly. Getting those most at risk out of potential danger before nightfall was the right call, and our community understood that.
One social media commenter summed it up perfectly: even if some people weren’t prepared before, they are now – and that’s a win.
My own experience working in civil defence emergencies as a Public Information Manager (PIM) goes back as far as the 2009 snow event that closed the Napier–Taupō road (SH5) and led to the rescue of 668 people trapped in their vehicles. Civil defence responses have steadily improved since then, but Cyclone Gabrielle taught us lessons that should never be forgotten.
This time, as with Cyclone Gabrielle, we offered our support to Comms + Engagement teams within our Hawke’s Bay clients.
Frank Engagement team members with PIM experience worked shoulder‑to‑shoulder with internal C+E teams – stepping into Public Information Manager (PIM) roles, responding to social media enquiries, developing key messages on emerging issues, and helping communities make sense of fast‑moving, complex situations. The few shifts we worked during the Cyclone Vaianu response gave us real confidence in the preparedness of our communities and councils.
Communities understand the risks. The organisations responsible for keeping people safe are more prepared than ever. Resourcing was better, the systems smoother, the teams more practiced, inter-agency cooperation stronger, and the connections into the community deeper than they’ve ever been.
In the weeks since Cyclone Vaianu, State of Emergencies have been called in Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts and in Wellington which faced the same challenges as Hawke’s Bay, and we can expect more frequent and more volatile events as the impacts of climate change increase.
We’ll never be perfect, because we’re human. All we can do is keep improving, prepare for the worst scenario and hope for the best one, and – as communities – take warnings seriously so that everyone gets through safely.
