Floods expose Southlanders’ compassion

February 2020 will be one for the record books on several fronts and for reasons both good and not so good. It is always a month chocka-block with great events that really show off Southland and Southlanders.

Hardly had Edendale’s Crank Up day wound down than events such as Southern Field Days and the Hokonui Moonshine Trail were cranking up at full steam.

Throw into the mix the Burt Munro Challenge and Mandeville Fly-In, as well as the myriad smaller events held throughout the province, and there was no excuse to be bored.

To the countless number of volunteers who are the backbone of most events, thank you for both your passion and your pride in what you do to show our province in a great light.

Of course, February has also given many of us the opportunity to experience the anger of our rivers and streams in full flood.

While many of us live within a stone’s throw of a creek or a river, we tend to take them for granted, something we do at our peril.

As I edge ever closer to yet another significant birthday (aren’t they all, as you get older), I can honestly say I only remember the Mataura River showing such hostility and contempt for all in its path on three previous occasions – 1968, 1978 and the early 1980s.

As the saying goes, it’s been a while between drinks, but all the predictions point toward a more frequent return of what we experienced this month. As a side note, it was two years ago almost to the day that flooding took out the Pyramid Bridge.

Disasters of any type expose the best in human nature. I have to say that what I saw on offer during the height of the floods was absolutely the best. Both inspiring and humbling at the same time.

People from all walks of life pitching in to help their fellow man, often without being asked or indeed even knowing the people they were helping.

At one stage across Gore and Mataura, there were around 3000 people evacuated from their homes. While Gore residents were allowed back the same day, many elsewhere endured at least one night away from home while for others it was multiple nights.

Being neighbourly took on new meaning during the state of emergency, and probably has meant ongoing new connections, all without a computer in sight.

We are often guilty of reflecting and relegating to history a time when neighbours talked and knew each other. How wrong we are. When the chips are down, human compassion and community spirit are very much alive and well in this part of the world.

Emergency Management, or Civil Defence as many of us in a certain age bracket refer to it, underwent a significant restructure about 10 years ago. The restructure saw a shift of focus from small individual councilbased organisations to a fully professional province-wide organisation.

For many this change was somewhat challenging and even a bit threatening, but it was a move absolutely needed for a rapidly shifting world.

In many ways, Southland led the charge for change to emergency management across the nation.

Significant investment was required. However, in my view, the investment in people and equipment is now paying huge returns in the form of capacity.

Interestingly, the February 2020 weather events across Southland led to the first real instance of Emergency Management HQ being tested ‘‘in wartime’’ so to speak.

It has been used for operation coordination for many events from earthquakes to floods, and biosecurity operations across the nation to great effect.

It’s reassuring to know that when we need it locally, the emergency management structure and people within it deliver.

For that reassurance, I thank Southland controller Angus McKay and his team, as well as our Gore controller Ian DavidsonWatts and his team. As teams and as individuals, the effort all round was superb.

Everyone was professional, caring and obviously passionate about the south.

It was the first time I have witnessed the Emergency Management Assistance Team (EMAT), aka the Flying Squad, in action.

Set up last year by the National Emergency Management Agency, EMAT is a team of individuals who, at a moment’s notice, are available to relocate to provide expertise and support during a crisis, wherever it may be.

To all those deployed south, I say thank you on behalf of Southlanders for the capacity and the passion you brought. You guys rock.

Were there lessons for the future? Absolutely, and they are being documented and worked through as we speak.

The floods have exposed the raw edge of the place we live and we have much to do to minimise future risks. But they have also exposed the passion and humanity of the vast majority of Southlanders.

I feel both proud and privileged to be a part of this place.