Natural disaster alert just a free text message away

The Western Bay of Plenty has "another weapon in the arsenal" to protect people from natural disasters following the launch of a new text message warning service.

The free service will provide registered mobile phone users in the region with text alerts of storms, floods, tsunami and other Civil Defence emergencies.

The service was launched this week and is believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Residents in the Western Bay area - which extends from Waihi Beach in the north to Maketu in the south, and west across the Kaimai Ranges - can register by sending a 50c text or filling in a free registration form at local council offices.

In the event of a disaster, text alerts and updates will be sent to those registered.

Tauranga Western Bay Emergency Management Office emergency manager Barry Low said the texts would vary depending on the circumstances but could advise people to tune into radio or television for details of a Civil Defence emergency, or to evacuate.

"Our aim is to provide subscribers with relevant heads-up information to ensure they can be prepared and, subsequently, take any necessary action if we get into a significant emergency situation."

The emergency management office has licensed the service from Auckland company OPTN.

OPTN managing director Murray Derecourt said it works through existing technology used by companies to send texts to customers.

"We wanted to apply what has typically been a commercial advertising approach, which costs businesses around 20c a text, to a non-commercial model that's strictly about providing a free public service to keep people safe in an emergency."

Mr Derecourt, who lives in Tauranga, said concern in the wake of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami prompted him to approach the emergency management office.

His company plans to foot the bill for the text alerts and is looking for sponsors, whose details would appear in the messages.

The service is part of a wider emergency warning system in the Western Bay, including a tsunami warning system launched in May.

"It's just another weapon in the arsenal," Mr Derecourt said of the text service.

The region's tsunami warning system has 10 sirens installed along the coast between Waihi Beach and Pukehina.

It came in for widespread criticism when a highly publicised 10-second test soon after its launch was not heard by most residents.

A second, more successful test was held in June, lasting two minutes and identifying "dead areas" along the coast where the sirens went unheard.

In a tsunami, the sirens would sound continuously for 10 to 30 minutes.


SIGNING UP

* Text OPTNTGACD to 2678 (costs 50 cents)

* Fill in a form at Tauranga City Council or Western Bay of Plenty District Council offices for free registration