Transformational change in action at Hawke’s Bay CDEM

Two months on from adopting its new Transformation Strategy, the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (HBCDEM) Joint Committee says change is now well and truly underway, with more staff than ever trained with the knowledge and skills required to coordinate an emergency response.

The Joint Committee met on Monday and received an update from HBCDEM officials on how transformational change was progressing.

Hawke's Bay regional councillor Hinewai Ormsby, Chair of the HBCDEM Joint Committee, said a key focus area is that all Hawke’s Bay’s councils have sufficiently trained people, capable of sustaining an emergency response over an extended period.

“There is now major progress being made in that key area of delivery, with a substantial increase in the number of council and partner agency staff receiving emergency management training,” Hinewai Ormsby said.

HBCDEM Acting Group Manager Shane Briggs said HBCDEM had signed with a leading national provider of training, investing an additional $160,000 into training delivery between now and the end of June this year.

“Over 90 training courses, reaching more than 1,000 participants from councils and partner agencies, have been delivered or scheduled within the 18 months from March 2024 to June 2025,” Shane Briggs said.

“More staff than ever now have the knowledge and skills required to coordinate an emergency response.

“Training courses cover a range of subjects, from the basics of emergency management to the realities of working in a coordination centre during a response, to more specialised training that will professionalise our workforce,” Shane Briggs said.

Hinewai Ormsby said another area of focus in the three-year transformation plan is to create a civil defence and emergency management system in Hawke’s Bay that places the community at the heart of the system.

“To achieve this, we are building stronger community connections,” Hinewai Ormsby said.

Shane Briggs said that HBCDEM staff had worked closely with councils and communities after Cyclone Gabrielle to adopt a new Community Emergency Hub model.

“There are now 27 Community Emergency Hubs established with an additional 65 in progress. Staff have also worked with six communities who have now completed Community Resilience Plans and there are another 20 Community Resilience Plans in development,” Shane Briggs said.

Hinewai Ormsby said the next milestone for transformation is the delivery of ten local emergency management exercises across Hawke’s Bay in the latter half of 2025, culminating in a major combined exercise involving all levels of the HBCDEM system from the community level to local and regional council, and emergency services.

“While training is one part of the equation, to reap the benefits we need to put these newfound skills into practice. Conducting a range of emergency management exercises will help ensure we are as ready as we can possibly be for future events,” Hinewai Ormsby said.

“Of course, this is just the start.  There’s much more work to do and much more progress to come.

“As transformational change continues, we are committed to strengthening our readiness and resilience at all levels, ensuring that whānau, organisations and communities are better prepared for emergencies,” Hinewai Ormsby said.

28 March 2025

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