The specialist equipment was on public display yesterday and today (9am to 1pm) at the Rose Gardens.
The Tairāwhiti Marae Resilience and Emergency Preparedness Project has been two years in the making and will see 19 communities equipped with kits that include water treatment units that can treat salt water from the sea or compromised water sources, mass first aid kits and hybrid solar energy units, among other things.
The display was the first time the community had had a chance to see first-hand what will be packed inside each of the 19 shipping containers, which will be transported to isolated rural and coastal communities over the next few weeks.
Mr Mitchell, who also visited the new Tairāwhiti Emergency Management office in Potae Avenue, was impressed with what he saw.
“This initiative to protect isolated communities is of a gold standard. It leads the way and sets the standard for others to reach in our country.
“Gisborne and the Coast are very isolated, yet these containers can provide clean water, medical support, shelter and food to those cut off after an emergency event.
He also praised the “outstanding” leadership of Tairawhiti Emergency Management group manager Ben Green, and his team members.
“Unfortunately, they’re very good at their job because they’re had to deal with major weather events on a pretty consistent basis.”
Mr Green said it was essential for everyone to know where the containers are and how to use the equipment.
In each container is an air shelter Covertex tent that takes four people about half an hour to put up.
There is also a water purification kit, which can turn muddy river water or salty sea water, into clean drinking water at a rate of four litres a minute.
Air shelter tents with camp stretchers and bedding can be used either as triage centre for the injured or as shelters.
Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel lives in one of the communities that was cut off during Cyclone Gabrielle.
“Having these resources to be able to look after ourselves if Ben and his team can’t get to us — it’s amazing. It’s a fabulous initiative.”
Mr Mitchell stressed that readiness and preparedness “for the next event” were crucial.
There had been more flooding, silt, slash and people removed from their homes last week.
Mr Mitchell said he would present a full report on the storm-ravaged districts to Cabinet in February.
“Next week I’ll be down in Hawke’s Bay and getting things done as fast as I can.
Recovery was about more than money., he said It about preparedness and having the right people, the right support and the right equipment.
Establishing a Cyclone and Flood Recovery Ombudsman, as argued during the election, was a priority, he said.
National was highly critical of the previous Government’s recovery policies and said recovery had to be sped up.
Mr Mitchell said the ombudsman would keep the Government to account and act as a conduit between communities and central government.
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier had visited areas struck by Cyclone Gabrielle and would release a report in the next month “or so”.
A Cyclone and Flood Recovery Ombudsman would continue that work and report to the Government, said Mr Mitchell.
The Tairāwhiti Marae Resilience and Emergency Preparedness Project received funding from Te Puni Kōkiri Kainga Rua funding initiative supporting the first phase of the project with Phases 2 and 3 being covered by Toitū Tairāwhiti (iwi collective that includes Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata and Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa). The project team also includes Fire and Emergency NZ, NZ Police and St John and NZ Red Cross to reflect the combined emergency approach in the event a state of emergency is declared.
