KPCA will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 17 March 2021, at 7:00pm at the Queenstown Golf Club. This is your chance to have your say about what your Community Association has been doing over the last year and is planning to do this year. So, please come along!
Our Summer/Autumn Newsletter will be distributed this week. That, combined with our Winter/Spring 2020. edition, provides a useful summary of what we have been doing. It will also indicate what work is in progress this year.
One key area of focus continues to be building community resilience in the event to an emergency. Last month’s 10th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake provided a sober reminder of the need for that resilience; as did the destructive Lake Ohau fire in October last year.
At the AGM, you can find out more about what is happening both regionally and on the Peninsula. The new QLDC Emergency Management Officer will be speaking about what is happening across the District. The KPCA Emergency Response Group will explain how its plans are developing to run an “Incident Control Point” on the Peninsula in the event of a major emergency. As to the network across the Peninsula, you will be able to meet your local neighbourhood coordinator.
We all have to battle with our complacency when it comes to thinking about the risk of being caught up in an emergency. Here a some key points to bear in mind:
- An Alpine Fault movement is inevitable – a word that requires no explaining.
- It will be massive – disruption across the whole of the South Island; and, depending on the location of the epicentre, Queenstown Lakes District will likely be severely compromised.
- You / We will be on our own – for at least 3 days; probably for 7 days.
- We / our community are the First Responders – there is no standing army.
- Any preparedness is better than none – any plan is better than a blank sheet of paper.
- Preparedness is a process not an end point: – it requires constant testing and refreshing; and constant community engagement.