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0 2021 Gets off to a Thunderous Start
Happy New Year to all our wonderful members! We've rung in another year and probably most of you will be happy to leave 2020 far behind. If you have been adversely affected by the events of 2020, we're sorry to hear that. As a nation though, we have shown the world yet again, that can we punch above our weight. Stu, one of our team, flew to Wellington for a break. He was able to run the service on IPad, laptop and phone, which is part of our regular system check. This ability gives us more flexibility and resilience. He said the only thing different about the trip were masks on the plane. NZ really is a pretty good place to call home. Thunderstorms and flooding start the year The year has started off wet and thundery with flooding at various locations. Multiple Severe thunderstorm warnings went out. Email-only users may have received alerts late or read them after the events had started. Sadly this is just an inherent weakness of email and is totally beyond our control. Txt users however got alerts within 1 minute. We saw many email only subscribers change to the $2/mth txt service once we explained the difference to them. More user comments. Any situation: damaging thunderstorms, fires, floods and so on, can develop extremely quickly and it's here that Txts are superior for alerting you immediately. In 2020 we sent around 15 evacuation alerts. Getting these late could be life threatening. You can switch to the Premium service by logging in here . If you need help, just contact us. We totally respect whichever service you use though, we just want to keep you safer but be aware of the differences. If you not a Lert Member and want to get our alerts click here. One of our members was extremely appreciative of our txt alert for Timaru recently:"You guys rock. Thanks for the text warning. Managed to get my car undercover. Don't need another write off. Really appreciated all you do" App Update We are alpha testing various aspects of our app and have found a couple of things needing improvement. Next will be beta-testing. We want you to have the best app possible. Still no date for release unfortunately. The app will set a new standard for alerting in NZ . Members Providing Alert Information We always welcome alert information and photos during events or if you see something. We find member information faster and often more accurate than official sources. You'll be helping other members too. Best to email us at info@lert.info if you see something. Facebook Please don't be offended if we don't reply to your comments or questions for anything we post on Facebook. It is not well designed for us to quickly reply especially when we're busy. Coronavirus There are mutated strains appearing that are 50-70%+ more infectious than the strain we first dealt with in NZ. Please continue scanning QR codes. The QR scanning tool is different to the Bluetooth part of the app which is automatic. Contact tracing will be the first thing officials go to when there is a new community case especially if it's the new variant. Till next time, we wish you a much better year in 2021. Cheers! The Lert Info Team
0 SH3 URUTI, TARANAKI – EMERGENCY WORKS
SH3 URUTI, TARANAKI – EMERGENCY WORKS Following the slip at the Uruti site in December, works that were scheduled prior to Christmas will resume on Wednesday 13 January. Our crews will be on-site from 7am-5pm with a 45-minute STOP/STOP in place at 8:30am and 9:45am.
0 Overnight SH2 Remutaka Hill Road Closure
Upcoming night closures The next scheduled 5-night closure for Remutaka Hill road is from 9pm Sunday 17 January to 4am Friday 22 January 2021. This 5-night closure is the third in a series of closures for the year 2020/2021 that enable our road crews to safely undertake essential maintenance and slip prevention works.The maintenance works will ensure the road is in good condition, and the slip prevention works will improve accessibility by reducing the risk of falling rocks and debris on to the road, for the safety of all road users.
0 Being Emergency Prepared for the Holidays
This excellent guide from CDEM Otago, could make getting through an emergency situation at your place much easier. It just takes a little planning. The first thing you should have is a variety of sources of information that comes to you and you don't have to waste time chasing the internet. Lert Info is New Zealand's ONLY dedicated alert service and sends over 20 different types of alerts which makes it NZ's only complete and most advanced service . (Sends all types of alerts.) Also include the Hazard app and of course the Mobile Alert Service. Sadly Facebook is no longer reliable for alerting. Messenger can be very useful though. The charts show the Facebook weakness of it's delivery. There is a good chance you will miss posts. Prepare your home You can help reduce the effects of disaster on you and your property by taking the following actions: Securing heavy items of furniture to the floor or wall Store loose items (dinnerware, crockery, and kitchenware) securely Removing or securing objects that may fall and cause damage such as wardrobes, bookcases, appliances or ornaments Store household products and chemicals safely to reduce risk of spillage Get a builder to check the structural soundness of your home If you see signs of ground movement get the grounds checked by a civil engineer When the power goes out remember - Fridge first Plan to use fresh food first then refrigerated and frozen foods. Use tinned and dry foods last Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. How do you know if it is safe to eat? Once food reaches the temperature of 5 degrees Celsius or above for more than 2 hours it greatly increases the risk of growth by microorganisms that can cause illness. Do not use frozen food that has thawed or refrigerated food that has warmed up. The only exceptions to this are butter/margarine, hard cheeses, raw eggs (still in eggshells), fruit and vegetables. The rule of thumb is “if in doubt, throw it out”. Frozen meat and fish Still contains ice crystals. Kept under 5 degrees C Thawed, held above 5 degrees C for over 2 hours Meat Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Chicken Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Casseroles, stews, soups, pizza, sausage rolls Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Fish or shellfish Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Frozen dairy products Still contains ice crystals. Kept under 5 degrees C Thawed, held above 5 degrees C for over 2 hours Ice cream Throw out Throw out Frozen yoghurt Throw out Throw out Milk Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Frozen baked products Still contains ice crystals. Kept under 5 degrees C Thawed, held above 5 degrees C for over 2 hours Bread Refreeze or use Throw out if above 10 degrees C for over 8 hours Muffins and cakes (no custard filling) Refreeze or use Throw out if above 10 degrees C for over 8 hours Cakes, pies, pastries with custard filling, cheesecake Refreeze or immediately use Throw out Frozen fruit and vegetables Still contains ice crystals. Kept under 5 degrees C Thawed, held above 5 degrees C for over 2 hours Fruit Refreeze or use Refreeze. Throw out if mould, yeasty smell or sliminess develops. Vegetables Refreeze or use Throw out if above 10 degrees C for over 8 hours Plan for your pets Pets are members of our families too so don't forget to prepare for them. Here are some tips to ensure you'll be able to look after your pets during an emergency. Arrange for a neighbour to check on your pets in case an emergency situation occurs when you are not home Keep pet tags up to date Consider having your pets micro chipped. This will make it easier to trace them if they go missing Include your pets in your emergency plan. Basic pet supplies to keep in your Getaway Kit should include leashes, food, and safe drinking water for at least 3 days. Blankets and a carry case for each animal with your contact details attached. www.lert.info
0 Contact tracing locations of interest: November quarantine cluster
Media release 08 November 2020 A number of push notifications will be sent to people who logged on with the COVID Tracer app as a new case was announced today. The alerts were sent to people that logged in at several locations of interest in Wellington and Auckland. The new case, a contact of a quarantine worker in Auckland, visited the following locations: Domestic Terminal, Auckland Airport: 5.30 – 7.45pm, 5 Nov Avis Car Rental, Auckland Airport: 5.00 – 5.15pm, 5 Nov Orleans Chicken & Waffles, Auckland Airport: 5.30 – 7pm, 5 Nov The Gypsy Moth, Auckland Airport: 7.00 – 7.15pm, 5 Nov Hudsons, Auckland Airport: 7.00 – 7.15pm, 5 Nov Little Penang, The Terrace, Wellington: 1.15 – 3.45pm, 6 Nov. The alert has advised users that they may have been in contact with COVID-19. If you begin to feel unwell, or for more information, please contact Healthline 0800 358 5453 For contact tracing purposes, anyone who attended one of the locations listed during the relevant timeframes is considered to be a COVID-19 ‘casual contact’ with a low risk of exposure. Close contacts have been contacted directly. This case once again reinforces the importance of everyone who is able to using the app to keep a record of where they have been - it allows our contact tracing team to quickly notify you if you may have been exposed to this virus, and allows you to take immediate action to protect yourself, your whanau, and your community. www.lert.info
0 Auckland may get have more water issues over summer.
Auckland’s rain yesterday a ‘drop in the bucket’ (+3 Maps) Auckland gardeners, farmers and those who rely on rain water will be happy with Tuesday's rain - but it's not enough, not even close, to end water restrictions. Rainfall totals across the region varied from lower totals of 10 to 15mm up to more moderate 25 to 35mm. But Auckland needs four or five times that amount just to reach normal October levels. On top of a very dry September and, apart from August, a drier than normal 2020, which came after a drier than normal 2019, the city is in a tougher than normal spot. WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan says Tuesday's rainfall was great, but it isn't the end to the city's problems. "We all need to keep playing our part conserving water until we get a truly soaking rain event. Either four or five similar rain events like Tuesday, or one big low that drops over 100mm in just a few days". "The rain yesterday will be doing some great positive things but it's just a drop in the bucket when it comes to refilling Auckland's water reserves". Mr Duncan says while La Nina has formed, NZ is a long way from the equator and La Nina this year may not be overly powerful. "La Nina is 100% the silver lining right now for Auckland's water storage issues - but it's not the silver bullet either" says Mr Duncan. "We are definitely seeing some big rainfall totals in the tropics directly north of us, along with an uptick in sub-tropical rainmakers. But until we see the highs breaking away from northern NZ we'll remain in this protective mainly dry bubble". Another positive is that WeatherWatch.co.nz says the high pressure belt coming out of the Aussie region has started to shift south in recent weeks - which bodes better for rainmakers coming in to northern NZ. But October, like September, looks to be well below normal rainfall-wise for Auckland. "Based on current projections the Hunua Ranges look to have about half of their normal rainfall for October" says Duncan. With the dry ground around there will be a growing fire risk and Lert.Info will be here for any fire alerts Article Courtesy of Weatherwatch
Southern Ocean Storm: Deadly wind chills for newborn livestock in southern NZ next week 25/09/2020 8:26amSource Weatherwatch Wind chills of below -10C are possible in some farming communities of the lower and alpine South Island on Monday and Tuesday as an explosive storm rapidly develops over the south Tasman Sea and then the Southern Ocean this weekend. Monday 7am Misery Index (Wind /Temp combo - Green Dot). Temp in CHCH is 1.5deg Misery index for 4pm Monday at Invercargill . Temp -3.5deg The low is expected to have central air pressure of 982hPa at noon Saturday over the south Tasman Sea, dropping to 957hPa on Sunday over the Southern Ocean and then 931hPa by Monday. On Monday the centre of this storm will likely be 1000km south east of Dunedin and peaking in power. This southern placement of the storm means that northern NZ, although windy, won’t be caught up in the main event. However the lower South Island certainly will be – and winds from straight off Antarctica will surge up the lower South Island. Head forecaster Philip Duncan says in fact wind chills halfway between Stewart Island and the Antarctic Ice shelf, over the Southern Ocean, will be -30C to -40C. “By the time those winds reach NZ it will be -2 to 10C in some exposed parts of Southland and Otago on Monday (especially overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning)” . “Wind chill below zero can kill newborn livestock, especially with hail, sleet, snow and rain showers in the mix to make the animals wet”. Comparison of last 6years related to pressure differences between Auckland and Invercargill Stay ahead of others with FREE real time alerts. Click Here
0 Major southern ocean storm bringing gales, cold and snow
South Islanders: Snow and wind chill alerts as spring storm dredges up Antarctic cold next Monday We’re at the end of September and well into Spring but a significant wintry blast of weather is on the way to southern NZ for the final days of September. Storm map showing size and intensity Lert Info has already issued an early heads up to farmers, in particular with new born lambs and livestock in Otago, Southland and South Canterbury. Alert sent Thursday morning The current data suggests snow flurries are expected in Gore, Lumsden, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka and potentially Dunedin . Sleet is possible in Invercargill with below zero wind chill at times. Metservice Outlook Daytime highs will range from just +2 degrees to +7 degrees across the lower South Island at the warmest point of Monday, based on Thursday's data. Wind chill will likely be in the negatives for a large portion of Monday in exposed areas of Southland. This could be deadly for newborn lambs. Misery Index for Monday 7pm - Wind plus temperature combined Tongue of cold air from Antarctica Swells This may even be one of the lower to sea level snow events of 2020 despite us almost being in the tenth month of the year. Late snow storms in September and October do happen from time to time – Spring is all about winter slowly fading away and hints of summer slowly coming in. Register for personalized alerts We can send you real time alerts including many exclusive only to Lert Info. For this event, already 5 alerts have gone out and we expect (based on similar storms) another 30-40 alerts. www.lert.info
0 Sept 21st Fire risk areas high to extreme
If you're in an area of high to extreme risk, please check your local status if you need to light a fire. If you see smoke please report it especially if there are strong winds. Ph 111. Better safe than sorry. You can drill down deeper for your areas at Fire Risks For personalized alerts for over 20 categories where your safety is compromised, go to www.lert.info CHCH Selwyn Sth Canterbury Otago Wairarapa
0 Sept 17th Fire maps for regions High to extreme
Latest information from FENZ on fire status in various areas. Some have gone from High to Extreme in the last week because of the winds and mild temperatures. For any emergency alerts, register at www.lert.info OTAGO SOUTH CANTERBURY WELLINGTON WAIRARAPA HAWKES BAY BOP GISBORNE
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