MetService has issued a Severe Weather Warning for strong winds on Tuesday morning. Northwesterly gales are expected to develop tonight, with 120km/h gusts for a time (in the 9 hours from 1am to 10am) on Tuesday morning.
Winds of this strength can affect trees, powerlines, insecure structures and make driving hazardous.
I thought I'd placed things where the wind wasn't going to catch them for Saturday, but I found the lid for my BBQ halfway across the lawn, and my wheelie bin had been blown over. I might get some bungy cords for keeping the lid on the BBQ, and tie my bin to something.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Windy weekend on the way
MetService has issued a Severe Weather Warning for strong winds in the Wellington area for Saturday.
Northwest winds are expected to rise to gale force durning Saturday - from 3pm Saturday, expect severe gale force gusts of up to 120km/h. Winds should ease late evening.
Winds of this strength have the ability to damage trees, powerlines and loose structures, and make driving hazardous - especially for high-sided vehicles and motorbikes.
Northwest winds are expected to rise to gale force durning Saturday - from 3pm Saturday, expect severe gale force gusts of up to 120km/h. Winds should ease late evening.
Winds of this strength have the ability to damage trees, powerlines and loose structures, and make driving hazardous - especially for high-sided vehicles and motorbikes.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Where's the water?
Recently we asked residents in Ascot Park, Aotea, Waitangirua and parts of Cannons Creek and Whitby to go easy on water use for a few days, or risk running out.
And here's why!
Stemhead Lane reservoir which usually supplies water to those areas is currently empty, as it is undergoing earthquake strengthening. A bit of an inconvenience now to help prevent a major inconvenience in an earthquake.
Ascot Park reservoir is now feeding the suburbs normally serviced by the Stemhead Lane reservoir, as well as its usual area. Initially, the demand on water from that reservoir meant that it was emptying faster than Greater Wellington Regional Council's bulk water network could refill it, so some areas may have experienced a drop in pressure, or loss of water.
Some of this problem has been relieved by reducing the bulk supply to the other cities slightly, and feeding that extra into Porirua's network, but please continue to reduce your usage during the peak use times of 5pm-8pm and 6am-9am to help maintain the supply.
Work on the reservoir is scheduled to be completed in about a fortnight, so normal service should resume then.
And here's why!
Stemhead Lane reservoir which usually supplies water to those areas is currently empty, as it is undergoing earthquake strengthening. A bit of an inconvenience now to help prevent a major inconvenience in an earthquake.
Ascot Park reservoir is now feeding the suburbs normally serviced by the Stemhead Lane reservoir, as well as its usual area. Initially, the demand on water from that reservoir meant that it was emptying faster than Greater Wellington Regional Council's bulk water network could refill it, so some areas may have experienced a drop in pressure, or loss of water.
Some of this problem has been relieved by reducing the bulk supply to the other cities slightly, and feeding that extra into Porirua's network, but please continue to reduce your usage during the peak use times of 5pm-8pm and 6am-9am to help maintain the supply.
Work on the reservoir is scheduled to be completed in about a fortnight, so normal service should resume then.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Can workers refuse to work in earthquake-prone buildings?
From an article on http://www.stuff.co.nz/
Unions are moving to add quake-safe workplaces to collective agreements - meaning that workers could go on strike if employers refuse to strengthen unsafe buildings. This will definitely be an interesting development to follow.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/7026600/High-rise-workers-trembling
Unions are moving to add quake-safe workplaces to collective agreements - meaning that workers could go on strike if employers refuse to strengthen unsafe buildings. This will definitely be an interesting development to follow.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/7026600/High-rise-workers-trembling
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Go easy on the water!
Residents in Ascot Park, Aotea, Waitangirua and parts of Cannons Creek and Whitby are being asked to go easy on water use for the next couple of days, or risk running out.
Work to earthquake-prrof Porirua's main reservoir in Stemhead Lane, means that Ascot Park reservoir is temporarily providfing water for the two catchments. Greater Wellington Regional Council has not been able to supply water quickly enought to keep up with the current demand on the Ascot Park reservoir.
Households in these areas need to be sparing of their water use as water pressure is already dropping.
Try not to use large quantities of water during the peak use times of 5pm-8pm and 6am-9am to avoid a loss of water.
The council is working to restore the supply at Stemhead Lane and hopes to have this up and running by the weekend.
Work to earthquake-prrof Porirua's main reservoir in Stemhead Lane, means that Ascot Park reservoir is temporarily providfing water for the two catchments. Greater Wellington Regional Council has not been able to supply water quickly enought to keep up with the current demand on the Ascot Park reservoir.
Households in these areas need to be sparing of their water use as water pressure is already dropping.
Try not to use large quantities of water during the peak use times of 5pm-8pm and 6am-9am to avoid a loss of water.
The council is working to restore the supply at Stemhead Lane and hopes to have this up and running by the weekend.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
You could join us!
Civil Defence Emergency Management throughout the Wellington Region is being restructured into a single organisation designed to meet the needs of our communities spread across nine cities and districts. To complement the talents of the current team, we are looking for five people for the following roles:
Manager Community Resilience
Disasters happen, quickly, and without compassion. While they can’t be prevented entirely, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the impact and enable the community to be better prepared to respond effectively and recover quickly. This exciting role is to deliver the outcomes arising from our goal to build resilient communities. It involves developing strategies, leading staff, building systems, delivering programmes, and creating and energising networks in the community, all designed to ensure communities have a degree of self sufficiency and able to respond effectively and recover quickly, in an emergency.
(Three) Emergency Management Advisors
We are looking for generalist Emergency Management practitioners who possess outstanding interpersonal skills, are good at building response systems, able to promote self sufficiency in the community and who work well in an operational setting. In addition to the above, we require the following specific attributes of two of the applicants: One is required to manage the team’s technology requirements. Competencies here include website management, managing our radio communications systems, and implementing the recently introduced Emergency Management Information System. Another will be part of the Community Resilience team, working largely in the Kapiti district. Ideally this person should live within or near the Kapiti area.
Administrator (Fixed Term Position for 12 months).
Part of a two person admin unit, the successful applicant will provide administrative support to a team spread across the Wellington region. If you have what it takes to be part of our team doing vital work in our local communities, then apply by clicking the link below.
For further information please contact Grace Nicholls, Human Resources Coordinator, Greater Wellington Regional Council on 04 830 4013.
Applications close 5 pm Tuesday 5 June 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
No tsunami threat to New Zealand - Sumatra
An earthquake measuring 8.7 has occurred off the coast of northern Sumatra (a similar location, but slightly lower magnitude, to the devastating Boxing Day quake of 2004).
Based on current information from it's scientific advisors, the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management has made an initial assessment that this event does not pose a tsunami risk to New Zealand. They will continue to monitor the situation. Only official messages from MCDEM represent the official warning status for New Zealand.
Friday, March 30, 2012
New Zealand ShakeOut - 9:26 - 26:9
At 9.26am on Wednesday 26 September (9:26-26:9), we aim to have 1 million people throughout New Zealand participate in the New Zealand ShakeOut earthquake drill.
You could be anywhere – at home, at work, at school or on holiday. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill wherever you are at 9:26-26:9.
http://www.shakeout.govt.nz/
The website went live yesterday with a launch at Owhiro Bay School in Wellington. It has been up and running for barely 24 hours, and already there are more than 13,000 participants registered!
In 2011 the Great California ShakeOut had 8.6 million participants, we haven't quite got that many, but we hope to get 1 million New Zealanders, with at least 110,00 from the Wellington Region alone. How many can Porirua get?
Register now, and encourage your family and workmates to join in!
You could be anywhere – at home, at work, at school or on holiday. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill wherever you are at 9:26-26:9.
http://www.shakeout.govt.nz/
The website went live yesterday with a launch at Owhiro Bay School in Wellington. It has been up and running for barely 24 hours, and already there are more than 13,000 participants registered!
In 2011 the Great California ShakeOut had 8.6 million participants, we haven't quite got that many, but we hope to get 1 million New Zealanders, with at least 110,00 from the Wellington Region alone. How many can Porirua get?
Register now, and encourage your family and workmates to join in!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Dalight Savings ends this weekend
It's that time of year again.
This Sunday we all put our clocks back one hour. Remember "Spring forward, Fall back".
The Fire Service would like to remind you to change your smoke alarm batteries, or get a couple of smoke alarms if you haven't got any - contact the Fire Service if cost is going to be a problem.
And while you are thinking about keeping your family safe, it's a good time to check your emergency supplies.
Check that you can find all of your survival items, and make sure that they work. You don't need to keep them all in a special kit, I've got mine all over the house!
Check that your household plan is up to date, and everyone knows what to do. Has anyone on your emergency contacts list changed phone numbers, or moved house?
Check that your long-life food hasn't gone past its expiry date. Have a look for swelling, dents or rust on tins, as they are signs that the contents may not be good anymore. I write the date I bought canned food on the top, so I know to use the oldest tins first.
Have a look at your emergency water supply. If it's gone a bit green or has floaties, give the bottle a good clean out, and refill or replace it, and store a few more for good measure. You can never have too much. Don't forget you can pick up 10L water containers from the council office, for just $5 each.
This Sunday we all put our clocks back one hour. Remember "Spring forward, Fall back".
The Fire Service would like to remind you to change your smoke alarm batteries, or get a couple of smoke alarms if you haven't got any - contact the Fire Service if cost is going to be a problem.
And while you are thinking about keeping your family safe, it's a good time to check your emergency supplies.
Check that you can find all of your survival items, and make sure that they work. You don't need to keep them all in a special kit, I've got mine all over the house!
Check that your household plan is up to date, and everyone knows what to do. Has anyone on your emergency contacts list changed phone numbers, or moved house?
Check that your long-life food hasn't gone past its expiry date. Have a look for swelling, dents or rust on tins, as they are signs that the contents may not be good anymore. I write the date I bought canned food on the top, so I know to use the oldest tins first.
Have a look at your emergency water supply. If it's gone a bit green or has floaties, give the bottle a good clean out, and refill or replace it, and store a few more for good measure. You can never have too much. Don't forget you can pick up 10L water containers from the council office, for just $5 each.
Friday, March 2, 2012
150km/h winds tonight!
The MetService has issued a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rain as well as severe gales for tonight and tomorrow.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6512127/Weather-bomb-forecast-widened
In the 17 hours from 10pm Friday (tonight), we can expect 100 to 120mm of rain, and from about 4am to 4pm Saturday (tomorrow) we can expect damaging south to southeast winds with gusts up to 150km/h!
Rough seas and heavy swells may cause erosion and storm surge inundation in some coastal areas. Conditions should ease later on Saturday as the low moves away to the east.
Winds of this strength can be quite damaging to loose structures, and make driving very hazardous - I'd expect the road over the Rimutakas to be closed due to the wind strength. Powerlines may be damaged, so there may be outages.
Please make sure that any outdoor furniture, rubbish bins and trampolines etc, are well secured, and take extreme care if you have to drive anywhere.
Check the drains around your house, and on the street, and make sure they are clear. The simple act of clearing away rubbish or leaves may help prevent flooding when the rain arrives.
Call the council 237 5089 about flooded drains, call 111 if there is anything really dangerous happening.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6512127/Weather-bomb-forecast-widened
In the 17 hours from 10pm Friday (tonight), we can expect 100 to 120mm of rain, and from about 4am to 4pm Saturday (tomorrow) we can expect damaging south to southeast winds with gusts up to 150km/h!
Rough seas and heavy swells may cause erosion and storm surge inundation in some coastal areas. Conditions should ease later on Saturday as the low moves away to the east.
Winds of this strength can be quite damaging to loose structures, and make driving very hazardous - I'd expect the road over the Rimutakas to be closed due to the wind strength. Powerlines may be damaged, so there may be outages.
Please make sure that any outdoor furniture, rubbish bins and trampolines etc, are well secured, and take extreme care if you have to drive anywhere.
Check the drains around your house, and on the street, and make sure they are clear. The simple act of clearing away rubbish or leaves may help prevent flooding when the rain arrives.
Call the council 237 5089 about flooded drains, call 111 if there is anything really dangerous happening.
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