Civil defence
Reducing the risk
The Auckland Regional Council is undertaking a number of risk treatment initiatives to minimise the impacts of hazards in the Auckland region.
We work in partnership with territorial authorities and emergency services in the Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Group (CDEMG) to address emergency management issues in the region. A CDEMG plan is currently in progress. We are also working closely with engineering lifelines to ensure utilities are aware of their vulnerabilities and are actively working towards reducing their risk.
Hazards are considered in our long-term land use zoning and planning, and better mechanisms are being developed to incorporate hazards information into this process. See Hazards guidelines project.
We are working towards a better understanding of regional hazards and risks by undertaking assessments on a range of natural and technological hazards. This information is fed into plans such as the recently released volcanic contingency plan. In addition the seismicity of the Auckland volcanic field is monitored using a network of permanent seismometers.
Hazards and the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy
In order to effectively avoid hazards, hazard and risk information has to be incorporated when planning for future urban development. In 1999, councils in the Auckland region completed the development of a Regional Growth Strategy. This strategy broadly outlines a vision for how the Auckland Region will develop until the year 2050.
A number of natural and physical resource constraints were considered in the development of the Regional Growth Strategy. These range from resources such as water quality and cultural heritage which are constraining because of their value and sensitivity to the effects of urban development, to natural hazards which constrain potential urban development because of the risks these hazards pose.
Areas prone to flooding, slope instability, coastal hazards, and ground shaking hazards, were illustrated individually, and also were compositely mapped with other natural and physical resources constraints and used to identify those areas least suitable to future urban development. By incorporating natural hazards into our long-term land use planning, we help to ensure that communities develop in areas least susceptible to the effects of natural hazards.
Auckland Engineering Lifelines Project
Reducing risk for infrastructure in Auckland
Aucklands lifelines - water, wastewater, telecommunications, power, natural gas, fuel and transportation networks - are working together to improve their ability to withstand and recover from a major natural or other type of disaster.
We often take for granted fresh, clean water, a good sewage and stormwater drainage system, electricity, heating, telephones, roads and rail. In a natural disaster, these community lifelines can be severely disrupted affecting hundreds to thousands of people and their families.
The Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group (AELG) is a voluntary group of lifelines, including the seven local councils and the Auckland Regional Council.
By working together, Aucklands lifelines hope to reduce their risk to hazards and improve the speed at which any damage can be repaired after a disaster. This will help the community to recover and life to return to normal as soon as possible.
To find out more - whos involved, who to contact, and what projects are underway, visit www.aelg.org.nz.
Regular updates on the AELG are also given in our newsletter - Hazardous Times.
