Communities are really pulling together in the cyclone response but have been forced to pay for private choppers to get in supplies to Patoka and surrounding communities. Video / Mike Scott
Cyclone-hit Hawke’s Bay farmers are forking out thousands for private helicopters to evacuate their children and boost dwindling fuel and food supplies because public helicopters are still tied up with rescues.
Waihau sheep and beef farmer Isabelle Crawshaw made what she says was one of the hardest decisions she’s ever had to make to send her 2-year-old and 5-month-old daughters out of their rural community northwest of Napier on a helicopter, costing her $7500.
“As parents, we don’t know when we’re going to see them again but we can’t look after a 5-month-old baby and look after the co-ordinated response out here,” Crawshaw told the Herald, her voice breaking with emotion and blinking back tears.
“I just wanted to be able to focus on the community and know that [my daughters] are safe and well and looked after by family so that’s the most important thing.”
It comes as nearby settlements including Rissington, Dartmoor, Patoka and Puketitiri have had limited, if any, supply drops from helicopters, unless they were paid for by residents themselves or through donations from local businesses.
The issue was raised during a community meeting in Patoka today where Crawshaw - also a Hastings District Council rural community board member - told those gathered it was hoped helicopters, which have been busy with rescues, would have more capacity to deliver fuel, gas, food and water to people isolated for almost a week since Cyclone Gabrielle hit the region.
Patoka and Rissington locals meet in the Patoka Town Hall. Photo / Mike Scott
Security concerns are also heightening. Patoka residents will now be manning the local hall, which is acting as an operations centre and supply base, to deter looters.
The Heraldyesterday revealed the Puketapu community would be installing guarded roadblocks overnight at several access points into the village after a looting incident.
The man organising Patoka’s security response is not ruling out implementing something similar in his community if looting began.
Access into Patoka and Rissington was crippled when the Rissington Bridge collapsed following the cyclone.
People seeking to enter those settlements must be transported by boat across the river and then by vehicle into the townships.
Rissington local Daniel Absolom made countless trips across the river today, ferrying supplies and people from one side to the other. Photo / Mike Scott
Public meetings have been held regularly at the Patoka town hall where the challenges facing various communities in the area were discussed.
Crawshaw, speaking to the Herald after the meeting, said communication into town had been difficult, which made accessing supplies complicated.
“We know that they’re overwhelmed in town so we’re, just now, a week in, getting some really good communication lines in now to get some regular supplies out here so it’s starting to sort itself out now.”
Fuel was the top priority as the community was living on generators with no power, cell service or water supply in some areas.
Waihau sheep and beef farmer Isabelle Crawshaw, also a Hastings District Council rural community board member, addresses the meeting. Photo / Mike Scott
Private helicopters had been chartered to drop off fuel, but things were getting dire, Crawshaw said.
“It’s just not enough, we’re desperate for fuel, we’re desperate for diesel, for petrol, that’s what everyone’s surviving on out here.
“I think the rescues in town have obviously taken up a huge amount of resources which we completely understand, we’re lucky out here that everyone’s been safe and accounted for and we’ve not lost any lives.”
Other residents expressed to the Herald their frustration that people were forced to reach into their own pockets just to gain access to essential supplies.
Crawshaw was less concerned about the cost to fly her daughters to safety, instead grateful they were able to get out at all.
“There’s a time when you just need to respond and we don’t have the luxury of time out here to wait for an answer as to whether that stuff is going to get funded or not so for us it was worth the money,” she said.
“If we can get [the money] back that’s amazing. If we can’t, we know that our girls are safe in Wellington now and they’re warm and dry and can have a bath and running water and that sort of thing which we can’t provide them out here.”
Tama Heremaia (centre) is in charge of security and fuel in Patoka. Photo / Mike Scott
Tama Heremaia was leading Patoka’s security efforts and said rumours from neighbouring communities had prompted a 24-hour watch being installed from today for the local hall.
“There are ratbags that are going to be out there to take advantage of us so we’ll make sure that we keep our community safe and we’ve got people on 24-hour watch here at the moment.”
The rumours included the looting of abandoned buildings. A similar incident was the spark for Puketapu residents to monitor their roads at night, something Heremaia didn’t rule out.
“Town people are heading out this way a little bit and we’re just going to make sure that we can survive the carnage because it’s going to be a while before we’re out of here.”
Access into Rissington and Patoka could improve substantially this week with representatives of the New Zealand Defence Force indicating a river crossing could be formed within 48-72 hours by placing culverts in the water and diggers creating a new road to connect with what was left of the existing one.
Cyclone Gabrielle has hit areas like Rissington and Patoka very hard, taking out the Rissington Bridge. Photo / Mike Scott
NZDF warrant officer class one Tom Kerekere told residents an engineer would need to inspect the crossing before it could be used publicly.
Despite the monumental challenges facing them, the Patoka and Rissington communities have displayed an extraordinary level of co-ordination to survive and prosper without great assistance from the outside world.
Today’s meeting was conducted in an orderly, calm affair and residents appeared in good spirits.
Several people were thanked for their acts of bravery or service to those in need and received a round of applause.
One of those people was 24-year-old dairy farmer Caleb Williams who “borrowed” a digger from a nearby forest yesterday to remove huge levels of dirt that had been blocking in four families who hadn’t been seen since the cyclone hit.
Essential supplies being checked in Rissington. Photo / Mike Scott
Williams, deflecting any praise, had just married two weeks ago - at an Esk Valley winery now decimated by floodwaters.
The community was also keeping a list of every company that had donated funds towards helicopter flights and supplies, so they could be thanked at a later date.
It was hoped a kindergarten could be opened this week alongside some schooling for older children.
Meetings had been daily but it was decided the next would be held on Wednesday, as organisers were reluctant for the 12pm gatherings to become like the 1pm Covid announcements.
