Firstly, a massive congratulations to everyone involved in the district’s response. I could not have been more impressed with the efforts and co-ordination across a whole raft of organisations, calmly and methodically controlled by the team working out of the Clutha Civil Defence HQ based at the Clutha Council.
Every state of emergency is different. This time, it was the critical impact on our electricity network, trees down everywhere causing carnage across the district, as well as in Southland and Hurunui. The secondary effects on water reticulation, wastewater infrastructure and telecommunications networks were significant.
Getting power to key community infrastructure assets and to dairy farms, to allow cows to be milked, was a herculean task. The lines teams at Powernet and Network Waitaki are owed a huge vote of gratitude.
The companies that sprang into action to secure generators, the electricians, the Rural Support Trust, the local refuge centres that opened in Lawrence, Clydevale, Owaka and elsewhere, the Fenz volunteer brigades, the Red Cross — the list goes on.
And spare a thought for our new mayor, Jock Martin — straight into a Civil Emergency even before being officially sworn in. A leadership test passed with flying colours.
While we can be satisfied with the response, the recovery will be a long haul. Our farmers have extensive damage to forestry blocks, fencing and sheds — right at the busiest time of year. A tough blow.
The Rural Support Trust and MPI organised a series of well-attended farmer meetings in the immediate aftermath. The message was firstly one of prioritising safety: There are trees down under tension, and we cannot stress strongly enough the danger that many of these trees present.
We dodged a bullet regarding lack of injury during the event; we must avoid that outcome in the recovery. Please get the fallen trees assessed by the forestry companies, who have the expertise and gear to deal with them safely. Our local contractors have been generous in making themselves available to do so.
This will be a financially, physically and psychologically demanding challenge for our farming community and will have a long tail. I cannot commend the work being done by the Otago Rural Support Trust enough in co-ordinating the recovery efforts alongside our rural professionals network.
As challenging as this event has been, the shining light has been the immense strength of Clutha’s rural communities.
