A community-led emergency response plan in Thorndon / Pipitea is this year’s major project for the Thorndon Residents’ Association. As residents we need an approach that works for our community, driven by our community, in partnership with the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO), WCC, local businesses and other stakeholders.

Many Thorndon/Pipitea residents attended a community briefing in September 2012. Scientists and Council officials cautioned against complacency. The message was clear: to get through a major natural event such as a major earthquake, our community needs to not only be adequately familiar with our surroundings but especially about one another, so that we can better look after ourselves. In a major event we could need to do this for many days, in trying conditions, before any official emergency response could fold into action to assist us. The 2012 meeting made it clear that we needed to step up to the challenge.

As an inner city suburb Thorndon has some interesting characteristics, which make our scenarios unique – astride the major fault line, an inner-city gateway suburb, through which all the region’s lifeline services pass – water, sewerage, electricity, road, rail and sea transport. Thorndon is also uniquely fortunate in hosting many especially valuable organisations within our community. All our special neighbours have their insights to share too, and strengths and skills to help in developing an approach to growing community resilience.

It is time for the community to meet and talk about how we’ll grow our resilience against natural events. It’s really about the community coming together, getting to know more about ourselves, and knowing how to act, before anything happens.

Please spread the word as we not only need to meet you and hear your views also views but from as many others as we can from across Thorndon / Pipitea. Your contributions on how to enhance our community’s vibrancy and preparedness are a necessary and valued part of growing community resilience.

This specially facilitated meeting has been designed to be both informative and enjoyable.
You are invited to the

Pipitea Marae and Function Centre
on Tuesday 9 September 2014,
arrive from 6:30pm for a 7 – 9pm meeting.