Gets Ready sign up encouraged
This week’s boil water and conserve water notifications by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) are a timely reminder about the value of community resilience, networks and good communications channels.
Council’s water services team, communications team, and contractors have been working hard to keep the Māniatoto community updated this week using the following channels: website, social media, local radio, the Central App, phone and direct emails to key community organisations and businesses (particularly food premises), media advisories to local and regional media outlets, and posters distributed around towns.
A key part of messaging has been to encourage people reading or hearing the messages to share the news with family, friends and neighbours.
“This is a real strength of our Central Otago communities who make that extra effort to look out for and care for each other, and word-of-mouth is a key tool in these times,” said CODC Community and Engagement Manager Paula Penno.
Another key tool used has been OtagoGets Ready – a two-way communication tool which helps people better prepare for emergencies and be more informed, coordinated and resilient when emergencies occur. CODC uses this handy platform to send out texts and emails for conserve and boil water notices. People from almost 1700 addresses in Central Otago have registered on the platform to date.
CODC and Emergency Management Otago are encouraging residents across the region to sign up for OtagoGets Ready. The OtagoGets Ready email and text alert system helps authorities target and send localised information to residents about situations that directly affect them, from small-scale events (boil water notices or fire bans) to major emergencies like earthquakes, floods, fires and severe weather events.
OtagoGets Ready not only keeps residents informed of what’s happening through email and text alerts but also invites them to offer their assistance and be part of a coordinated community emergency response.
“Many people like to help out during an emergency, and we can tap into their valuable skills and resources if they choose to register them in Gets Ready. They can also register to any needs and vulnerabilities they have,” said Derek Shaw, Emergency Management Advisor (Central).
The OtagoGets Ready system does not supersede the National Emergency Alerts which are pushed through cell towers, rather it supplements this by providing more detailed, localised information through additional channels.
Derek will be at the Central Otago A&P Show in Omakau tomorrow (Saturday 11 February) promoting OtagoGets Ready as just one of the great ways to be ready. Be sure to pop by the Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management tent if you want to find out more.
To register yourself and your neighbourhood to sign up and be added to the database head to https://otago.getsready.net/
If you’re already on the system, be sure to log in regularly and check your details are kept up to date too.
