Late last year – unbeknown to the rest of the country – Mt Taranaki exploded in a major civil defence exercise to test the region preparedness to cope in an emergency.

Te Puni Kōkiri regional offices throughout the country are integrally involved in civil defence planning.

“It makes sense,” says Hayden Potaka from the Te Puni Kōkiri Te Tai Hauāuru Regional Office.

“Māori are resilient people and our marae are set up so that they can be used quickly and well in an emergency.”

The scenario for the exercise went like this: On Wednesday 20 November 2013 at 2.00am a significant explosive eruption occurred on Mt Taranaki. Numerous shock waves were recorded and lightning was frequently seen in the ash cloud. Directed blasts deposited significant amounts of debris into the headwaters of most catchments. The developing weather remobilised this debris generating debris flows and lahars in many streams and rivers from the volcano. Lahars were confirmed in the Kapuni Stream and the Waiwhakaiho River.

For Te Puni Kōkiri, it was a chance to test communication systems and review our planned processes for a real emergency.

“We’re part of the Regional Welfare Advisory Group, which means we have a role to play in ensuring our communities are safe and that marae can be set up as civil defence posts,” Hayden says.

But it is not only emergency exercises that Te Puni Kōkiri staff are equipped to help with.

When Raetihi residents were left without freshwater after 15,000 litres of diesel leaked from a tank at the base of Tūroa ski field into Makotuku stream, Te Puni Kōkiri staff were among the agencies on the ground to help out.

“Making sure the town’s most vulnerable, the elderly and young families, were coping with the water contamination was top of the list in response to the emergency,” said Sam Bishara Te Puni Kōkiri Te Tai Hauāuru Regional Director. “We don’t wait to be asked in a situation like that; we just go and help out however we can”.

Te Puni Kōkiri has a role to work with other government agencies and civil defence emergency management, to facilitate and coordinate support to Māori requiring assistance; and to engage with iwi, hapū, whānau and Māori communities to ensure that their needs are met.

“The advantage of being a regional office is that often we know people in the affected community and we’re close by so can respond quickly. In this instance, we were on the ground providing practical help (like delivering water alongside the Māori Wardens), as well as giving information and support to the many agencies and organisations that were working hard to restore the water supply and take care of the needs of the people of the township.

“Raetihi is a strong, tightknit community and they were working together to just get on with it, too.”

Caption: Whetu Menehira, James Taiaroa and Darren Condon help with water supplies.