Getting rest home residents to safety quickly in the event of a tsunami is a focus of a new natural disaster evacuation plan.
A major undersea earthquake close to shore could trigger a tsunami that may arrive quickly, meaning people would need to evacuate to higher ground immediately.
Another focus of the plan is to get people to cycle or walk to higher ground, instead of taking their cars, to avoid causing traffic bottlenecks.
Residents will be instructed to get above a 20m elevation mark on Richmond, Scarborough and Clifton hills.
Evacuation plan organiser Alicia Mallo said it aims to “educate residents about how to help neighbours who are vulnerable, mainly elderly and children”.
The emergency plan has been a long running project for the association over the past few years.
Association chair Andrea Davis said it has not been able to get the plan across the line due to a combination of those in charge not able to take on the workload and the issue not being dealt with by councils.
Davis said the association is organising vehicles and gauging people to be volunteer drivers to help evacuate Edith Cavell Lifecare and Village residents.
The association has also been given a $1500 community grant for grab bags for Edith Cavell that includes essential items – such as flashlights, water, food and medicines.
The association will also be requesting council put up signs on the esplanade indicating to visitors where the nearest evacuation zones are as well as put markings on the hills specifying where the point of safety is.
The association’s next step is to establish emergency hubs for residents who are unable to return to their homes following the tsunami.
These hubs will provide displaced people with essentials to last them at least a couple of days – first aid, satellite phones, food, water. Davis said the February 22, 2011, earthquake made an immediate, but temporary, impact on the community’s readiness, but people have become less diligent as time has gone on.
