ARDERN VISITS SCHOOL AND RESPONSE
‘‘What’s the damage?’’ was Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s first question as she entered the Emergency Response Office in Richmond.
‘‘Severe. We’re looking at millions, on an individual basis,’’ was the response from Julian Raine, a fruitgrowers representative.
It was a harsh reminder of why she was there. Inside the centre yesterday, Emergency Response staff are still plugging away at computers and making calls as she speaks.
Live maps and data fill the TVs and projector screens on the walls.
There are about 120 staff based there from various ministries and organisations, monitoring every update on the status of the fire, and the next upcoming disaster, the drought conditions and dams that are rapidly running out of water.
Addressing the staff, Ardern said the fact that she was back just one week after her last visit was ‘‘an acknowledgement of the fact that this is an ongoing event, an incredibly serious one, and there is a knock-on effect and an aftermath that we need to be aware of.
‘‘I see familiar faces from when I was here a week ago. It smells like you’ve left the building and showered at least.
‘‘I’m here on Valentine’s Day to hopefully respond to any needs that exist, to support you, to say thank you. I know you’re separated from your wha¯ nau, from your loved ones, and I really want to pay tribute for that.’’
Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne and Nelson mayor Rachel Reese presented her with a red gerbera, which garnered a laugh.
‘‘That’s the most I’ll get today, because Clarke [Gayford] had food poisoning.’’
Speaking to the media at Hope Community Church, she said she had been out to visit Carter Holt Harvey, the large timber mill that was saved from the blaze by firefighters who battled through the night to protect the property.
‘‘It just shows the incredible work that went on to try and ensure that both property, lives and livelihoods were saved.’’
Asked if she was concerned that climate change would lead to more frequent emergencies of this scale, she said there was no question the conditions contributed to the fire.
‘‘We do have to make sure we’re prepared for these kind of events in the future. We also need to prepare for the possibility of having multiple of these events at one time.
‘‘We need to always be ready, always be prepared.’’
While at the church she met with Peter Verstappen, the principal of Wakefield School, the oldest continuous school in New Zealand. It’s been on site in Wakefield since 1843, but this week they’ve had to set up a makeshift base at the church, about 10 kilometres north of Wakefield.
‘‘We’ve had about 200 kids on site for the last couple of days,’’ he said.
‘‘This is an invitational space, it’s a therapeutic space, we’re saying, ‘Come and be with us.’
‘‘There’s been a hell of a lot of emotion in the last week for our families.’’
The school will be at the church until the end of the week, and provided they get approval from Fire and Emergency they will return to the school ground on Monday.
The kids, for their part, were in good spirits, and clamoured over each other for the chance to meet the PM. One girl told her she preferred going to class at the church because it had better swings.
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