KEY POINTS:
South Island districts heavily affected by the devastating June snowstorm will be better equipped next time after receiving compensation payouts from an electricity retailer.
Civil defence organisations in the Mackenzie, Waimate and Timaru districts have welcomed the $2500 payouts from Trustpower as a token of thanks to customers for their patience during the power outages.
The money is being used to purchase emergency equipment for such events in the future.
Some properties went for weeks without power after the heavy snowfall on June 12 brought down thousands of power lines.
Trustpower's South Island corporate account manager, Barry Harkerss, said the company regretted the disruption to power supplies.
"Rather than attempt to address individual account adjustment - an almost impossible task - we thought the best way to provide some compensation was to put some money into making the districts safer."
In Waimate, South Canterbury, emergency communications across the district had been boosted, with three extra radio telephones being installed in community halls and the home of a local farmer.
Thousands of people lost phone lines after the June storm.
Mackenzie District civil defence officer Leo Crampton said he would buy more hand-held VHF radios with his district's share of the Trustpower donation.
