Opuatia Stream, Cyclone Gabrielle 2023

Help!

Our access to support services can be quite challenging in a rural environment. Check out the following services available if you find yourself in a bit of pickle.

Emergency Services

We live in an isolated part of the Waikato and emergency services can take some time to respond if needed, so the Onewhero Fire Brigade would like to make the following known:

If you make a 111 call for medical help, and you are told either there are no ambulances or the wait is very long, then tell the emergency call centre that the Onewhero Fire Brigade has First Responders available and willing to help. It might make a difference!

Defibrillators

There are two defibrillators available 24/7 in the Wairamarama. Others can be found in neighbouring communities via www.aedlocations.co.nz

Wairamarama Community Hall

External cabinet
1410 Wairamarama Onewhero Road
Onewhero

Phone 111 to retrieve the lock combination from Ambulance Communications.

Glencairn Farm

Inside woolshed, left hand wall
874 Ponganui Road
Onewhero

Phone 021915113 for access.

Power Outages

Common causes of power outages include weather events – storms, floods, high winds, lightning strikes – as well as vehicles hitting power poles and trees touching power lines. While Counties Energy has put a tremendous amount of work into making our electricity network more resilient over the last three years, they cannot guarantee a constant supply of power.

The Counties Energy Outage Hub is a user-friendly app which you can use to report faults and stay up-to-date with outage information. Alternatively, you can call their Customer Care team to report an outage on 0800 100 202

Outage Tips

Counties Energy has some handy tips to help you in the event of an unexpected power outage:

  • Treat all downed lines as LIVE, keeping at least 10m away and call Counties Energy immediately!
  • If you rely on electricity for medical reasons, ensure you have a plan in place in case the power goes out.
  • Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid potential damage from electrical surges should the power go out.
  • Store some water for drinking and washing if you rely on a water pump.
  • Keep mobile phones and any battery-power devices charged.
  • If you’re using your car to charge your devices, park it outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Have an emergency preparedness kit that includes a torch, batteries, cash and first aid supplies.

Roading Issues

The Waikato District Council is responsible for the repair and maintenance of our rural roads. Issues like potholes, slips, poor roadside drainage and trees across the road, can be reported through the Antenno app. Antenno is a new reporting tool, which is used to track issues and hold the council and roading contractor (Higgins) to account. Learn more about Antenno at https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/report-it/download-antenno

Alternatively, you can report roading and other issues via the Waikato District Council website. Urgent matters can be phoned through on 0800 492 452.