An information evening is due to be held on Friday, February 20, in Wigram, in a bid to recruit new people by highlighting the vital work response and support teams do in emergency situations.
Prospective recruits will be invited to attend a selection day after the information evening.
The selection day will involve a basic physical assessment for anyone joining the response teams. But there are a range of roles in emergency management and not all of them will require a physical assessment.
Civil Defence Response Team 10 team leader Matthew Crook said: "Selection day entails a mix of team activities and learning basic responder skills.
"For us as team leaders, we want to put people under a bit of pressure, see how they work with others and see how well they can learn and apply new skills."
Recruits will then be invited to join a team, where they will join as a probationary member.
After gaining experience through courses and training exercises, they will become a fully-fledged member.
"Training is a mixture of organised team training and formal courses.
"Team trainings encompass a wide variety of skills, including first aid, ropes, lowering stretchers, Civil Defence centres and more.
"The formal courses provide opportunities to learn skills such as working in floodwaters, rope access systems for repairs, the CIMS structure, and more,” Crook said.
During emergencies, response teams carry out a wide variety of roles, including welfare checks, reconnaissance, evacuations, and cordon management.
"It’s commonly said people enjoy it as a way to give back to their community, but I think of it slightly differently. I see it as a chance to feel a part of the city, not another person who just lives here.
"I love Christchurch and want to do my part to keep it such a cool place to live. Joining the teams is a great way to learn heaps of new skills, including skills people might not get the chance to learn in their regular jobs. Leadership, decision making, teamwork, operating with other emergency services, working at heights – just loads of interesting things,” Crook says.
The information evening will take place on Friday, February 20, at 7pm in the response base at 25 Kilronan Pl, Wigram. To register your interest in advance, email recruitment.nzrt.chch@gmail.com.
