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0 Evacuate or Isolate, It's a No Brainer.
There is only one decision when you need to evacuate because of tsunami, but you have Covid or you're isolating because of exposure. You Still Evacuate! (Advice from CDEM)
Since our last news letter, we have had a super busy period with several significant floods involving evacuations, as well as strong Spring equinox winds that caused some damage. Thankfully there was no loss of life. Can't say it's boring We have a few points to cover of so lets jump right in. Getting Lerts Twice For The Same Thing? – Here’s why People on the boundary of two alerts (usually weather) can often get each alert. One could be a weather warning the other a weather watch. Overlapping is essential to reach everyone. The overlap could be more that 25km. Why Do I get Lerts That Don’t Seem to Affect me? We have many thousands of people using our service. As a result, more are likely to be affected by an alert because we travel more these days. For example the Remutaka Hill gets closed - This could affect people from Masterton to Paraparaumu to Wellington and the lower Wairarapa. When we have our app, this will change significantly so we can reduce unnecessary alerting. Exclusive and Faster Alerts We can get alerts to you within 2-3mins of getting information. If you tell us of a crash, for example, we can get an alert out to subscribers up 30mins faster than official sources because we have very different protocols. Save our “Contact Us” page as a button on your device. Contact us link We have been trial sending a message to people in an area for live updates, and they are proving really useful. We also think proactively, with a bit of common sense. Recently waves on the south coast of Wellington combined dangerously with wind and high tide. We issued an alert to affected subscribers 45 minutes before any authorities. If we can give you that extra time it can make a difference. Difficulties of Weather Forecasting Multiple factors influence forecasting so we will never make bold statements like “there will be heavy snow in CHCH CBD in 10 days time”. This is not helpful to anyone, is irresponsible and really just click-bait. People believing this may change plans unnecessarily. We have seen many long-range forecasts get it so wrong. Our approach – monitor sources and :- 5-10 Days out - Initial heads up to subscribers that something could happen that is noteworthy. 3-5 Days out – Providing more refined information, still saying “ It’s not locked in” . Images could now be included of rain maps snow levels etc. NOTE: If initial Weather warnings from Metservice are sent at this stage, it’s never a good look for what is coming. The Canterbury floods saw actual WARNINGS go out 3 days prior. It’s usually 1 day prior. We knew then it would be bad. 2 days out - Models will now be aligning and we can start advising details and how many alerts we are likely to send. Prediction of 30-50 Lerts is a notable event. We predicted over 50 for the Canterbury floods and ended up with 135. The largest number for any event in our 11yrs at that stage. 1 day out - Warning Lerts will have gone out by now and will be a combination of information from Metservice, Weatherwatch, Windy.Com, BSCH maps, Earthnullschool and other sources. We never use mainstream media media as they often exaggerate. Impacts can also be advised like rapid river rise, slip risks, predicted road closures etc. Do you know we have our own Meteorological Technician? His knowledge of weather and the NZ topography is incredibly useful. With the Canterbury event, flooding had to happen because of the wind direction, mountains, drought soils and other factors. It was the perfect setup. Linking that together we Lerts about 5hours before authorities flooding on the plains could happen Are Your Emails Too Slow? There is a very good reason for it. There has been a surge of Lert Members converting to our Txt service over the last three months as they are not seeing emails for several hours. Many people don’t read them till too late. Not good in an emergency. So why do we supply them - because we believe everyone should have access to our alerts, and email is the only free tool available. We have to buy Txts and pay staff , therefore need to charge for those. The following graph show how long it typically takes to read an email. Delay is the trade off of emails. We have no control once we send an email and why we always recommend Txt . Txts are immediate and have 99% delivery rate. In a full on emergency like Tsunami, evacuation, fire, flooding etc, speed is critical. Our fastest way is undeniably txt . We can all pay $2.50 spontaneously for some sweets or $4-$5 for a coffee. Makes $2 for your safety a pretty good purchase . To upgrade login HERE or drop us a line. We really want you to have the very best in alerting. Tried Our Road Alert Service Yet? We own and operate New Zealand's ONLY National road alert service using Push Txt Alerts? This has been a life saver for thousands of people. They've been able to change plans, avoid delays, re-arrange their whole day, known of dangerous driving conditions and much more. The warning are immediate for crashes or days for weather events. It's just $5 per month but could save you a delay, help you plan an alternate route ( we often supply an option) or we could save your life. They differ from the emailed road alerts you currently may be getting, in a HUGE way. They cover each Island completely . This is perfect for high road users like commercial travellers, freight haulers, Police, Fire Ambulance and more as we are getting an increasing amount of exclusive information and can tell you sooner. Check it out at www.road.lert.info Check Facebook Time Stamps. Delay is why we don't use Facebook for alerts. Do you know a Facebook posts can take many hours to reach you? We surveyed followers and the results were alarming. The following graph shows how long it took for some people to actually get their posts and is why you should rely on it exclusively. The following table shows how many people completely miss seeing a Facebook post. You'll never know if you miss a FB post Covid Updates If Covid pops up in your neighbourhood, this link - Places of Interest Map will be helpful if you forget to scan into places and there is an outbreak. What is a location of interest - It is a place and time that is unique. This means a single location can be a place of interest twice or more because infected persons had been at the location at different times. A location with two different time ranges is two locations of interest 3 Records Broken. Westport, Canterbury and Marlborough Flood Events These were without a doubt our biggest events in 11 year. In total: 225 different alerts were sent for the Westport event. Previous highest was Canterbury flooding with about 135alerts. 750,000 The total number of individual Lerts to subscribers. 10 separate evacuation alerts, 105 separate www.road.lert.info road alerts 75 weather alerts and 40 miscellaneous alerts which included 11 exclusive alerts based on subscriber contributions. To be included in the next alert for your area, register here. That's it for now. Have a really great Xmas hopefully borders/restrictions are loosened so you're able to.
0 Westland Rain Event Nov 26th- Nov 28th
As you are most likely aware there is a Rain deluge coming to Westland. Weatherwatch advise it won’t be like the Westport situation but it will still cause issues of flooding, rapid river rise, slips and even fallen trees across roads This NIWA River photo shows levels getting to extreme. Lake Tekapo is being spilled in anticipation of rain associated with this event and a Lert has gone to subscribers likely to be affected. We have already sent 16 alerts for this event and based on past events expect to send another 40 or so. You can get them as well but you need to register at www.lert.info. There are FREE or paid options Many alerts are exclusive - 2 already for road conditions as we can contact people in the area and ask for live update. This has worked very successfully in the past. We're just here to help keep people safer using advanced free/paid push alert technology.
0 Extreme Fire Risks in Some Areas
Some places getting to Very High and also Extreme Fire Risks. You can Check It's Alright to Light Here Alerts have gone out to people in affected areas. If you'd like free alerts sent to you Click Here
0 Toxic Algae Ohau Channel, the channel that links Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotorua
A health warning has been issued today for Ohau Channel, the channel that links Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotorua. Routine water test results provided by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council have confirmed the presence of blue-green algal blooms which are potentially toxic. “The health warning means that people should avoid any activity which results in contact with the water in the channel,” says Dr Phil Shoemack, Medical Officer of Health for Toi Te Ora Public Health. Contact with water affected by blooms of blue-green algae can cause asthma and hayfever attacks in some individuals. Contact with the blue-green algae can also cause skin rashes, stomach upsets, and in some cases neurological effects such as tingling around the mouth, headaches, breathing difficulties and visual problems. Signage will be erected at the Ohau Channel advising potential channel users about the algal bloom. As we head into summer, Dr Shoemack advises the public to keep an eye out for signs of algal blooms if using lakes in our region. “Algal blooms can develop rapidly and unpredictably and can sometimes produce toxins that are harmful for people as well as animals. If the water looks discoloured, has an unusual smell, or has green or brown particles floating in it then it is best to avoid contact with it.” Up-to-date information on health warnings for the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts is available through these channels: Phone: 0800 221 555 Website: toiteora.govt.nz More information: toiteora.govt.nz/public/recreational-water Facebook: facebook.com/toiteora Twitter: twitter.com/toiteora Instagram: instagram.com/toiteora Email alerts for subscribers: toiteora.govt.nz/news/ FREE EMERGENCY ALERTS - WWW.LERT.INFO
0 Traffic Light System Explained
The new Traffic Light System that replaces the Alerts levels, kicks in on Dec 2nd Key dates 17 November – My Vaccine Pass is made available to the public. 29 November – Cabinet will confirm the decision to move Auckland and the rest of New Zealand into the new traffic light system. 2 December - At 11:59pm, all of New Zealand will move to the COVID-19 Protection Framework. Auckland will move to Red. Settings for the rest of New Zealand are yet to be decided on. 15 December – People travelling out of Auckland will need to be fully vaccinated, or have a negative test 72 hours prior to departure, to leave Auckland and visit other parts of the country. This requirement will remain in place during the core summer period, until 17 January 2022. In the coming weeks, the Government will also announce further information about how testing, contact tracing, care in the community and social support will be provided for those who get COVID-19. Detailed individual sector guidance for the new traffic light system will also be released. About the new framework Elimination and the alert levels have served New Zealand well. They delivered the lowest number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths in the OECD, gave us sustained periods of days without restrictions and a strong economy that sees GDP rising and unemployment falling to historic low levels. But it was never intended as a forever strategy. We now have the unique advantage of moving to the next phase of managing COVID-19 in our community with a highly vaccinated population. The COVID-19 Protection Framework brings us a world where we are freer to move and live with less disruption and offers the stability businesses need to plan for the future. It introduces a new traffic light system to manage COVID-19 in the community: Green Orange Red The framework is more flexible than the current Alert Level system because we know that businesses that only open to vaccinated customers pose a lower risk. We can move up levels when needed to control an outbreak. COVID-19 Protection Framework [PDF, 84 KB] COVID-19 Protection Framework — Large Print [DOCX, 546 KB] COVID-19 Protection Framework — Audio [MP3, 15 MB] COVID-19 Protection Framework — Easy Read [PDF, 3.6 MB] Full Details are HERE Source - Unite against Covid 19 For FREE alerts advising of outbreaks and sudden clusters of "Places of Interest" register at www.lert.info
0 Covid Shows Up In Napier and Gisborne Wastewater
Media release 05 November 2021 COVID-19 has recently been detected in wastewater samples taken in Napier and Gisborne. The wastewater sampling was carried out by ESR between 1 and 3 November, with results returned this afternoon. They could be due to recently recovered cases returning to the region from MIQ who are shedding the virus, transient visitors to the region, or could signal undetected cases in the community. There are no MIQ facilities, or known COVID-19 cases self-isolating, in Napier or Gisborne. As standard procedure, ESR will carry out further samples in coming days with results expected early next week. As a prudent measure, anyone in the Hawke’s Bay and East Cape with COVID-19 symptoms – no matter how mild – are asked to please get tested, even if they are vaccinated. Testing is available by appointment at the following locations across Hawke’s Bay: Napier: 06 650 4000 open 9am-5pm Hastings: 06 281 2644 open 8am-8pm Wairoa: 06 838 8333 open 8.30am-5pm Central Hawke’s Bay residents should phone your GP or call Healthline: 0800 358 5453. In Gisborne testing is available this Saturday and Sunday at a drive-through set up at 110 Peel Street from 9am - 5pm, no appointment required. Additional testing capacity in the area will be stood up, if needed, and details will be available on the Healthpoint website. Meanwhile, those in the Hawke’s Bay or East Cape regions are reminded to get vaccinated this weekend, if they have not already. Vaccination clinic locations across the region are also available on the Healthpoint website. So far, vaccination rates in the Hawke’s Bay have remained steady with 85% of residents having received their first dose, and 72% fully vaccinated. In Gisborne, 79% of residents have received their first dose, and 65% are fully vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccination is the number one protection against the virus. The Ministry is monitoring the situation and will provide further public health advice if, and when, required. FREE Real Time alerts www.lert.info for all situations
0 Local State of Emergency in Gisborne Region
Civil Defence has declared a local state of emergency at 2pm today for the Tairāwhiti region. Civil Defence controller Dave Wilson encourages people to contact Council to report any flooding. “Anyone who is concerned for their safety should stay with friends and whānau. Welfare centres are being established across the district for those with nowhere to go. If people need assistance, please call us,” he says. Staff continue to closely monitor the weather situation across the region after more than 24 hours of torrential rain, which is impacting properties, roads and communities. Surface flooding around the district has closed several roads, and some people at Pouawa and Loisels have self-evacuated. “The ground is already staturated, with high tide due at 6pm our rivers are being closely monitored. “The road situation on both state highways and local roads are changing by the hour,” says Mr Wilson. “Please drive to the conditions, and only travel if you need to.” There have been several road closures, with some down to one lane due to slips. Sponge Bay has surface flooding restricting some access to properties. A number of private properties in other areas have reported sewage overflowing as wastewater backs up. Some schools up the Coast have closed. Mr Wilson says our systems across the region are just not coping with the sheer volume of water. Scours were opened last night and sports grounds around the region are closed. “Links with our rural communities have been activated to ensure everyone is safe,” says Mr Wilson. Please call 0800 653 800 to report flooding. For Real time Update to email or phone - www.lert.info
0 People Encouraged to Self Evacuate If Needed
Latest civil defence updates @ 4pm, the next update will be 5.30pm. Some residents in Sponge Bay have self-evacuated as flood waters rise, and contractors sandbag the area. If you're in this area be prepared to evacuate. Welfare centres - set up at Wainui School Hall, Salvation Army on Gladstone Road and the House of Breakthrough State highways - significant surface flooding. Rutene Rd, Wainui cycle way closed. SH 2 flooding intersection with Pilmer Road Inspected Gladstone Road bridge. Kaiaua Road is closed. Focus areas are Sponge Bay, Kaiti, Taruheru riverside residents, Riverside Road Slip has come down Makorori hill - down to one lane. Power outages across the city. Facebook video
0 Christchurch Covid Situation Update 12pm Thursday 28th Oct
As you are likely aware, a person travelled by plane from Auckland to CHCH and later infected another person in their house. The Ministry of Health advises the first person was not scanning every locations they visited and so there will be holes in the record. New cases COULD pop up if there was an exposure incident at one of these unidentified places. Please scan into every place you visit. This is one of our lines of defence. Any place that becomes a Place Of Interest (POI) later, the MOH can contact you directly through the app if you have scanned in. We will also send alerts directly to you from our alert service Lert Info Fast and thorough action and practices will hopefully stop the CHCH cases spreading, but as the first infected person was out and about while infected for several days, we will have to watch daily updates of new cases. Any new cases will show in the next few days . On Vaccination- it's purely and individuals choice. You can still get Covid with the vaccination but statistics show your are likely to get it much less seriously. If you're sitting on the fence about getting vaccinated, don't allow yourself to be bullied by either side of the argument. Source information yourself from credible sources, which are on both sides. But ultimately only you can decide for yourself.
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