Councils, emergency agencies and partners from across the Manawatū- Whanganui region took part in Exercise Te Ara o te Tuarua on 28 November, a large-scale civil defence exercise designed to test how we would respond to a major earthquake. Although the scenario was fictional, the actions taken were very real, giving teams a rare chance to practise the kind of decisions and coordination needed in a real emergency.

The exercise focused on a major quake along the Tararua and Ruahine ranges. Because our district sits close to earthquake fault lines, Tararua District Council fully activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Dannevirke alongside Horowhenua, Manawatū and Palmerston North.

For Tararua, the fictional scenario included widespread damage: blocked roads, power outages affecting thousands of homes, and impacts on water supplies in Eketāhuna and Pahiatua. A Civil Defence Centre was “opened” in Dannevirke, emergency accommodation was set up at marae, halls and schools, and community hubs kicked into action using Starlink and VHF radios to keep people connected when telecommunication networks were down.

Iwi, FENZ, St John, the Rural Support Trust, Police and others joined in as well, helping test how all the different teams would communicate, share updates and work side-by-side if a big quake actually hit.

“Our teams train for situations we hope we never face, but when they do happen, every second counts” said Anna Howell, the Civil Defence Response Manager in Tararua for this exercise. "Running a full, live exercise helps us understand what would actually happen on the ground, where the pressure points are, and how we can work even better together".

Throughout the day, responders worked to build a picture of the situation, coordinate support for affected communities, relay critical updates via radio and online channels, and manage lifeline services such as power, water, roading and telecommunications.

“This was the closest thing to a real event we can safely create,” says Pete Sinclair, Tararua’s Emergency Management Officer. “Exercises like this are invaluable. They highlight what’s working well and where we need to strengthen our systems before an actual disaster strikes.”

The Manawatū-Whanganui CDEM Group hopes to run more full-scale exercises in the coming years to keep building confidence, capability and strong working relationships across agencies.

“Preparedness is a team effort,” says Mayor Scott Gilmore. “Every time we practise, our region becomes a little safer.”