Communication needs improvement

Communication between rural communities and Auckland Council during times of emergency needs to improve, according the council’s rural advisory panel.

At its meeting on September 8, Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) presented the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan for feedback from the panel.

Panel member Linda Potauaine said urban Aucklanders sometimes forgot how having no power could impact rural Aucklanders received messages during emergencies. No power meant no internet.

She said during Cyclone Gabrielle there was no water in West Auckland and Watercare put out a message on Facebook about a water tanker.

“Nobody took the water because nobody knew that the water tanker was there,” she said.

Principal of strategy and planning Kristen Spooner said it was a tricky issue.

“We do rely on that mode of communication a lot these days. There has been a suggestion of giving satellite communication to rural response groups,” Spooner said.

Council had also given consideration to letter drops or working with the local fire service.