DPA submission – Inquiry into North Island severe weather events

We have made a submission on the Share to Prepare – Inquiry into North Island severe weather events. The Inquiry aims to identify lessons learned from the North Island severe weather events and provide recommendations to Government so our emergency management system is better prepared to respond to future natural emergencies.

Our submission focuses on the impact for disabled people around the need for all communities around the country, including the disabled community to be informed, prepared and resilient.

These storms reinforced the need, from a civil defence perspective, for timely information in accessible formats, good support systems, assistance to disabled people and their whānau in planning for disasters, and the ability to have well-organised disability support systems and structures in the recovery phase as well.

Our recommendations include that disabled people and other at-risk group in emergencies are integrated into all emergency response management, planning and policy making processes.

Read the DPA submission for the Inquiry into North Island severe weather events [Word]