ARPHS Emergency Activities

ARPHS emergency activities include pre-disaster planning, emergency response, regulatory activities and interagency liaison with the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Groups, Council environmental health officers, emergency services, lifeline utilities and regional/national health stakeholders and communities to ensure public health aspects of emergency planning are considered and integrated into emergency plans.

We have developed emergency response plans and procedures specific to public health emergencies including pandemic, food safety, drinking water, hazardous substance incidents, communicable disease and business continuity plans (to ensure continuation of public health services during an emergency).

ARPHS participates in local, regional and national emergency exercises to test interagency plans, identify gaps and build collective knowledge and understanding of public health issues.

For information on Protecting your Health in an Emergency visit:

Are You Prepared?

Emergencies can occur anywhere, without warning and at any time…it is important to be prepared and know what to do before you have to do it… Take that first step now and visit www.getthru.govt.nz for what YOU need to do.

Emergencies

Emergencies are caused by a range of natural and technological hazards like storms (cyclones), earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, fires, hazardous substance incidents, disease epidemics or disruption to lifeline infrastructure e.g. power, water, transport, telecommunication failures.

For information on Natural Hazards in NZ and the Auckland Region visit:

During an emergency essential services may be disrupted e.g. power, household water supplies, sewerage and waste water, refuse collection and food supply. Homes may become uninhabitable and people may need to be relocated to temporary accommodation which may become overcrowded.

This may lead to unsafe, unhealthy or insanitary conditions, increasing public health nuisances and the risk of disease already present in our communities.

Emergency Management

Emergency management activities, focus on identifying hazards and risks and implementing the four Rs of emergency management:

  • Reduction – reducing risks and vulnerability of communities
  • Readiness – planning, preparedness, information; building community resilience
  • Response – timely, effective, efficient, coordinated emergency response
  • Recovery – restoring safe conditions as soon as possible after an emergency

Visit:

Pandemic Planning

Visit the Ministry of Health website for advice on Pandemic planning and preparedness.

For further information please contact ARPHS Emergency Planner (09) 623 4600