Agenda of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 28 March 2022

Subject: Amendments to the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Plan: Recovery Managers

Reason for Report

1. Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (CDEM Act) the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee makes appointments to the positions of Group Recovery Managers. These appointments and associated delegations are contained in the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan and as such represent a minor change to this Plan.

2. This item seeks confirmation of proposed changes to Group Recovery Manager appointments and as a result, proposes resulting minor changes to the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan.

Confirmation of the Appointment of Group Recovery Managers Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group

3. Mr Mike Adye is currently appointed as a Group Recovery Manager for the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group. Mike is currently overseas for an extended period and has resigned from this role. Discussions will be had with the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) over the future direction of recovery and this area is one of the projects identified in the implementation of the “Strengthening CDEM in the Hawke's Bay” report. Until then it is recommended that Mr Adye be removed from the role of primary Group Recovery Manager. As the Plan identifies three alternate Group Recovery Managers, the Group still has coverage in this area.

4. With the requirement in the CDEM Act to appoint Group Recovery Managers, it was agreed that Hastings District Council (HDC)and Napier City Council (NCC) would identify two alternates. Hastings District Council has asked that their alternate be changed to Mr Bruce Allan, their Group Manager Corporate.

5. Mr Allan has provided the following resume:

5.1. Bruce is a Hawke’s Bay local, who grew up on a farm on the Taihape Rd. Now a Chartered Accountant, Bruce’s first appointment at HDC was as Strategic Financial Advisor in 2008. In addition to this role, he undertook a split role, working as Chief Financial Officer for Central Hawke’s Bay District Council in 2014. Bruce was seconded to the role of Acting Chief Financial Officer with HDC in February 2015 and appointed Chief Financial Officer in April 2016. Due to a restructure in early 2020, Bruce now holds the title of Group Manager: Corporate, reflecting his new management portfolio which includes the finance, IT, customer services, procurement, risk management and security teams.

5.2. For nearly ten years, Bruce has been one of HDC’s Recovery Managers, being involved in the Waimarama Road fire incident in 2017 and the Esk Valley Floods of 2018, developed the Council’s Covid-19 post lockdown economic recovery plan and, most recently, as a member of the Covid response team managing the current challenges facing the workplace and the community.

6. The following changes are therefore recommended to Appendix 5: Key Appointments to the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan:

6.1. Add the following to the Recovery Manager (Alternate) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Bruce Allan

6.2. Remove the following from the Recovery Manager (Alternate) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

John O'Shaughnessy

6.3. Remove the following from the Recovery Manager (Primary) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Michael Adye.

Strategic Fit

7. The recommendations are consistent with the Group Plan in that they provide for an effective response and recovery to an emergency, a key objective of the Plan.

Financial and Resource Implications

8. There are no significant financial or resource implications that may result from this decision.

Decision Making Process

9. Committee is required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

9.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

9.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

9.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of the Administrating Authority’s (Hawke’s Bay Regional Council) policy on significance and engagement

9.4. No persons can be identified who may be affected by this decision.

9.5. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

9.6. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, the Committee can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

9.7. The proposed amendments to the Group Plan meet the requirements of section 57 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and can be considered as a minor change to the Group Plan that does not need public consultation.

Recommendations

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in the Administrating Authority’s (Hawke’s Bay Regional Council) adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that the Committee can exercise its discretion under Sections 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Local Government Act 2002 and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision.

2. The Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee resolves to amendment Appendix 5: Key Appointments of the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan pursuant to section 57 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and make appointments and changes to the roles of Local Controller as follows:

2.1. Add the following to the Recovery Manager (Alternate) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Bruce Allan

2.2. Remove the following from the Recovery Manager (Alternate) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

John O'Shaughnessy

2.3. Remove the following from the Recovery Manager (Primary) Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Michael Adye

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

CDEM Group Manager/Controller

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 28 March 2022

Subject: Hawke's Bay Regional Alerting Systems Review and Options

Reason for Report

1. The purpose of this report is to provide the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee with a copy of the report Hawke's Bay Regional Alerting Systems Review completed by Massey University’s Joint Centre for Disaster Research and to inform the Committee of the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group’s (CEG) decision on the approach to public alerting moving forward.

2. It is asked that the Committee resolve to:

2.1. Note the attached Massey report

2.2. Endorse the decision of the CEG, that the Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system becomes the backbone system for public alerting in Hawke's Bay supported by mobile apps such as the Red Cross Hazard application (app)

2.3. Support the implementation of this decision

2.4. Support the Napier City Council’s (NCC) decision to disestablish their tonal only siren system.

Executive Summary

3. Massey University conducted a gap analysis and reported on a review of the current suite of public alerting tools in the Hawke's Bay region. It also assessed the suitability of other alerting options for use across the region.

4. To be effective, public alerting systems should deliver information so that people can make an informed decision during a warning with as much time as possible for action that provides for their safety.

5. The critical considerations for alerting are providing a heads-up and instructions. The heads-up is the ability to gain people’s attention and inform of the threat before it occurs. Instructions are the ability to provide details: what is happening, where, when, and what action is required to respond to the threat.

6. This review recommends a system of public alerting options including:

6.1. Emphasis on natural warnings (e.g. for local tsunami Long or Strong, Get Gone)

6.2. The use of the national EMA system as a backbone for public alerting

6.3. The identification and use of infill systems where there is a lack of mobile phone coverage or there is a need to cover groups or communities for which cell alerts are not appropriate.

7. The report also recommends that the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group carry out further work with mobile phone providers to better map coverage areas and develop an end to end or one-stop system and process.

8. The Massey report is attached to this report.

Strategic Fit

9. The decisions in this report relate to the following Readiness Objective in the Group Plan:

9.1. RES5: Ensure that the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group maintains and where appropriate practices a coordinated, mass public alerting system.

Background

10. Last year Group Office staff commenced working with Napier City Council (NCC) on the future of the Napier tonal siren system. The Group commissioned the Massey University Joint Centre for Disaster Research to undertake a technical review and develop options. It was subsequently decided that it was more effective and efficient to broaden the review to include the entire Group area.

11. On 3 February 2022 the Napier City Council People and Places Committee resolved to disestablish the existing outdated Napier siren system which no longer complies with New Zealand standards and has inherent operational risks. They agreed that the Emergency Management Alert (EMA) system was the best public alerting system for Napier backed up with related public education. They resolved to support the Group in providing the EMA and education. This decision was subsequently agreed to at a Council meeting on 17 March 2022.

12. On 28 February 2022 the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) considered the report and its recommendations and agreed that for the Group area, the EMA system was the best back bone public alerting system with other systems such as opt in internet and messaging systems being used for infill where there was no cell phone coverage. It was also agreed that a project be developed to implement these decisions and develop an associated public education and media awareness programme.

13. The current situation with regards to mass public alerting nationally, and in Hawke's Bay is described in the report. This includes the characteristics of the EMA and other systems.

14. Currently the Group has access to the EMA portal and on the approval of a group controller, an EMA may be issued within Hawke’s Bay. Obviously, there is a requirement for this to be tightly controlled and an EMA may only be issued for ‘high-priority alerts’ that meet set criteria for “certainty, severity, urgency”. As such the Group needed to agree to a terms of use document with NEMA and mobile phone providers.

15. Group office staff have been trained and practiced on the system. NEMA tightly control access to the system. NEMA may also issue EMAs for a region if requested, while a further back up through the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Communications Centre can also be used by the Group.

16. The EMA utilises cell phone towers across all operators in New Zealand to deliver a message directly to an individual’s mobile phone. This is an opt out service which can only be disabled in the phone settings. All new cell phones sold in New Zealand have this setting enabled by default.

17. The Group also has access to the Red Cross application (app). This is an opt-in internet based alerting system which is provided and maintained by the Red Cross and uses and individual’s internet connection (as opposed to the cell phone network) to deliver alerts. This app is based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), as is the EMA system. This allows for the two systems to be linked so the alert from one is transmitted across both systems almost simultaneously.

18. The report recommends that an internet app is a preferred solution for those people who live outside of cell phone coverage.

19. An important part of implementing this decision will be media, public education and information, signage, and other public engagement activities such as community resilience planning.

Discussion

20. The report identified, analysed, and recommended the different contemporary options for mass public alerting for Hawke's Bay.

21. The development of the national EMA system is a ‘game changer’ in public alerting for major emergencies in New Zealand. As the system has been used and tested on a number of occasions in the last few years, there is confidence in the resilience and reach of the system.

22. Whilst already having the capability to issue EMAs, further strengthening of the systems and processes underlying mass public alerting for the Group needs to occur. This could include:

22.1. Further training and exercising on the EMA, Regional Warning System, and the Red Cross Hazards application (app)

22.2. Development of Hawke's Bay specific templates for a range of regional/local hazards

22.3. Development of end-to-end delivery between systems using the CAP

22.4. Work with emergency services and councils to better identify protocols and processes that allow them to recommend issuing an EMA locally

22.5. Development of a business case of opt-in alerting for members of the public who have a duty of care over others (e.g. coastal campgrounds)

22.6. Public education on what the preferred systems are, how to access them and what to expect

22.7. Working with community groups who need separate or different ways of alerting their community.

23. Group staff will develop a more detailed project plan to be included in the Group work programme currently being developed for 2022-2024, and this will be reported back to the CEG.

Next Steps

24. Group office staff will consult with our regional partners, develop a more detailed project plan, and report back to the CEG at its next meeting on 23 May 2022.

Decision Making Process

25. The Joint Committee is required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

25.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset

25.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation

25.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of the Administrating Authority’s (Hawke’s Bay Regional Council) policy on significance and engagement

25.4. No persons can be identified who may be affected by this decision

25.5. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan

25.6. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, the Committee can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendations

That the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and notes the Hawke’s Bay regional alerting systems review and options staff report.

2. Receives and notes the Massey University report Hawke's Bay Regional Alerting Systems Review December 2021 attached to this paper.

3. Endorses the decision of the CEG that the Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system becomes the backbone system for public alerting in Hawke's Bay supported by mobile apps such as the Red Cross Hazard app.

4. Supports the implementation of this decision.

5. Supports the NCC decision to disestablish their tonal only siren system.

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

CDEM Group Manager/Controller

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Massey University Report HB Regional Alerting Systems Review DSR Report 2021 4

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 28 March 2022

Subject: Group Manager's Update

Reason for Report

1. The purpose of this report is to inform and update the Joint Committee on matters not specifically addressed in other items on this agenda and to give the Committee an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback if desired.

Background

2. The matters covered in this report include:

2.1. Group Office Staffing

2.2. Hawke's Bay CDEM Covid-19 Response and Business Continuance

2.3. Central Government Emergency Management Reforms (Trifecta)

2.4. Community Resilience Work Update

2.5. Operational Readiness Work Update

2.6. Financials update.

Discussion

Group Office Staffing

3. The Group office team went through some significant change since the end of the first Covid-19 response. Since the last Committee meeting, we have recruited two new staff members into the EMA Community Resilience role based in Wairoa and the Recovery and Lifelines role respectively. This last role is new and was approved through the 2021 Long Term Plan process.

4. Unfortunately, Lisa Pearse (Team Leader Risk Reduction) decided to retire and finished work last month. This is a huge loss in terms of Lisa’s knowledge and standing across the country in hazard research/risk reduction and her experience over the years in responding to a wide range of events.

5. Recently we have had another staff member resign to take up a role with NEMA. We are currently working through the process of recruiting for both roles.

6. Looking at the team overall, we have recruited well, and the team has good unity, morale, and individual technical skills. However, what we are lacking in specific experience in CDEM responses and coordination in a multi-agency environment. This will be a challenge for the rest of the year as we rebuild from the ongoing responses of the last two years.

Hawke's Bay CDEM Covid-19 Response and Business Continuance

7. The GECC is currently continuing to the support the Hawke's Bay District Health Board (HB DHB) and Ministry for Social Development (MSD) in the response.

8. As a result of a request for support from the DHB, in the last two weeks we have deployed two staff members to advise and support the DHB led Covid Response Coordination Centre.

9. The staff involved are the Group Welfare Manager and Team Leader Community Engagement. This secondment is for up to 6 weeks and 2 weeks respectively. This is primarily to assist in the further development of the processes and support for the initial clinical needs assessment for positive persons, and linkages with the welfare needs assessment.

10. As part of the agreement with the DHB, these staff will be released should a concurrent event occur.

11. In terms of the Group capability, currently the Group office is at full capability (less one vacancy and staff on secondment) with some staff having already recovered from Covid or completed self-isolation requirements.

12. Of more concern is the ability of Council staff to support any significant response with most councils now operating at reduced levels. This is also a concern at a national level, and it is likely that if any significant event was to occur in any region, national resources would be deployed, and planning has occurred to enable this.

Central Government Emergency Management Reforms (Trifecta)

13. This NEMA programme of work continues, and a discussion document for feedback was released just before the Christmas period. Several stakeholder workshops were held at the end of January and feedback closed on 11 February. The CDEM Group gave feedback on the limited information that was provided. This feedback was formulated in conjunction with the Joint Committee and CEG Chair and is attached to this item. Individuals and organisations were able to provide their own feedback if desired.

14. The next stage of the process is for an Emergency Management Bill to be developed and it is expected this will be completed mid-year and be introduced into Parliament towards the end of the year.

15. NEMA staff members will be at the meeting and will be able to answer any questions the Committee has on the proposed sector reforms.

Community Resilience Work Update

16. Tsunami Hikoi Week was 7-13 March. This was led by East Coast LAB. The Group promoted this to all schools and early learning services via email, marae via the local Taiwhenua, tourism businesses via Tourism Hawke’s Bay, and Napier business via the business associations.

17. A new tsunami information board has been designed and installed in three Napier locations, with more to follow. We are now working with local council Māori advisors to create a bilingual tsunami information board.

18. Tsunami signage installation is ongoing, with information boards, evacuation routes, and tsunami blue line installations being planned across the region. Group office staff will work with the councils’ staff and agencies such as Waka Kotahi as part of this process.

19. New tsunami public education collateral is being co-designed with NEMA.

20. Translation of Te Hīkoi a Rūaumoko into five additional languages is underway, working with representatives from the Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, Hindi, and Chinese communities. This is being funded by the NEMA Resilience Fund with the Group office supplying staff time.

21. The Resilience Fund East Coast LAB project creating tsunami pou was completed with Waimarama school, marking their tsunami safe location. This was completed using donated Unison power poles. The Group office is looking at how this may be included in ongoing tsunami risk reduction work.

22. Following the Tongan volcano event and tsunami, we coordinated a meeting to bring together local Tongan leaders, Tongan RSE representatives, Red Cross, and Hastings District Council, to acknowledge what had happened in Tonga and identify local Tongan community response ideas. Following this fono, we arranged for GNS to provide information to the Hawke’s Bay Tongan community (in English and Tongan) about volcanoes and their impacts. We will also be providing support to the local Tongan container project, enabling local Tongan families to send one drum each of clothing and non-perishable goods to their family in Tonga; This is being planned in March.

Operational Readiness Work Update

23. Leadership and support of the projects initiated under the Strengthening CDEM Arrangements in Hawke's Bay report have been a key focus of the operational team staff.

24. The Group office has purchased a prototype Starlink satellite unit, allowing broadband speed satellite connection. The cost/bandwidth/speed ratio is approximately 50 times better value for money than the Iridium network which most existing satellite technology use. This is very new and disruptive technology for resilient communications, and we are currently assessing its capabilities, with a view to it possibly replacing our current Iridium satellite communications infrastructure.

25. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been developed with the Amateur Radio Emergency Communicators (AREC) for the provision of VHF radio network management and advice before and during an emergency. This will mitigate some of the risks caused by aging VHF radio infrastructure and workforce.

26. Several CIMS training modules have been redeveloped into online modules and made available to staff in councils through council People and Capability teams. CIMS level three accreditation is now online, and the Group office is delivering face-to-face courses for staff to become accredited.

27. ArcGIS training has also been provided across a wide range of CDEM staff and partners to support the development of a Common Operating Picture.

28. Volunteer training has restarted this year with an emphasis on personal/situational safety and utilising the Multi-Habitation Unit (MHU) that was provided as part of the National Resilience Cache.

29. Support is being provided to TPK's Kāinga Rua project in partnership with FENZ by way of advice about Marae Resilience Caches and assistance to facilitate training/Wānanga for hapū on establishing a community led civil defence centre.

Financial update

30. The table below outlines the budget position as of 31 December 2021. It is likely that we will also deliver a small surplus for the next 6 months of the financial year due primarily to savings in salaries as we recruit staff replacements.

31. Overall, the budgets are on track to delivering a surplus of up to $100,000 which would be moved into the CDEM Reserves.

Workstream Description	ACTUAL 31 Dec YTD	BUDGET 31 Dec YTD	Unfavourable/ (Favourable) Variance

Reduction – Hazard Identification and Mitigation
Revenue	($102,022)	($117,308)	$15,286
Expenses	$38,975	$41,884	($2,909)
Internal	$116,641	$150,243	($33,602)
	$53,594	$74,819	($21,224)


Operational Readiness
Revenue	($379,288)	($343,313)	($35,975)
Expenses	$98,582	$147,453	($48,871)
Internal	$542,718	$469,236	$73,481
	$262,012	$273,377	($11,365)


Group Leadership and Governance
Revenue	($291,804)	($284,858)	($6,946)
Expenses	$2,277	$14,120	($11,842)
Internal	$147,216	$114,908	$32,308
	($142,311)	($155,830)	$13,520
	$0	$0
	$0	$0
Community Engagement and Resilience
Revenue	($365,486)	($352,469)	($13,017)
Expenses	$40,598	$30,305	$10,293
Internal	$297,172	$325,115	($27,943)
	($27,715)	$2,952	($30,667)


Emergency Management Totals	$145,580	$195,317	($49,737)

Decision Making Process

32. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee receives the Group Manager’s update report.

Authoredand Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Modernising the Emergency Management Framework Initial Written Feedback

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 28 March 2022

Subject: Progress Report: Strengthening CDEM in Hawke's Bay – Implementation Report

Reason for Report

1. The purpose of this report is to give the Committee an update on the work programme implementing the recommendations of the report “Strengthening CDEM in Hawke's Bay”.

Background/Discussion

2. At its last meeting in November 2021 the Committee discussed and endorsed an outline work program to implement the recommendations of the report “Strengthening CDEM in Hawke's Bay”.

3. Since this time the project leads for key projects have been identified and project scopes have been further developed. All of this has been against the background of further work and disruption through supporting the all off government planning and response to Covid-19 as we move into the next phase of the pandemic.

4. This disruption and changing priorities have not just been to Group office staff, with staff from councils and partner agencies also needing to respond to BCP responsibilities and constraints on the ability to participate with the change process. Meetings of project groups will be more challenging now that Omicron is established in the community and organisations move to preserving operational capability through working from home and work isolation teams.

5. Despite the challenges of the last couple of months the programme remains on track. An up-to-date Programme Monitoring Report and timeline is attached.

6. These two monitoring reports will continue to be refined as the programme implementation continues.

Next Steps

7. Reporting on the work programme against the recommendations and outcomes of the Report will be further developed and continue for the next Committee meeting.

Decision Making Process

8. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the CDEM Group Joint Committee receives and notes the Progress report: Strengthening CDEM in Hawke's Bay – implementation report.

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

CDEM Group Manager/Controller

Attachment/s

1 ⇩	Strengthening CDEM in HB Programme Monitoring Report
2 ⇩	Strengthening CDEM in HB Timeline

Topic	Raised by

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