During a civil defence emergency, the Council activates an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate response efforts, protect life and property, and communicate with residents and key agencies.
During a civil defence emergency (e.g. a flood, tsunami or earthquake), the Council will set up an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). This is a place where our staff can work together and with other agencies to collect and analyse data, make decisions that protect life and property, and communicate with involved agencies and with our residents.
For large-scale events, our EOC will be set up in the Council Chambers, at the Rangiora service centre.
Within the EOC, we have dedicated Council staff performing different functions, like Logistics, Welfare, Safety, Intelligence and Public Information Management. These staff are on a 24-hour roster, 365 days a year.
These teams are led by the Local Controller, who oversees the response to the emergency. They are also responsible for keeping the Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management Group updated on progress and developments happening in the Waimakariri District.
The EOC may also include representatives from emergency services like the New Zealand Police and utility providers such as MainPower.