Northland news in brief: Daylight saving ends tomorrow; open fire season for most of Northland

Northlanders are reminded about tsunami siren testing this weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Tsunami siren testing
Northland's six-monthly tsunami siren test will take place at the end of daylight saving this Sunday. The network of more than 200 outdoor tsunami sirens in coastal communities, from Te Hapua in the north to Mangawhai in the south and Ruawai in the west, is checked twice a year, coinciding with the start and finish of daylight saving. The sirens sound twice: firstly at 10am for 10 minutes and then again at 10.30am for 30 seconds, and will be monitored for any faults. Indoor sirens will be tested at the same time as the outdoor network. Test alerts will be sent to users of the Red Cross Hazard app, which can be downloaded for free.

Caravan fire not suspicious
The fatal caravan fire in Peria, near Kaitaia on Thursday is not being treated as suspicious and the death will be referred to the coroner, a police spokesperson said. The formal identification process is ongoing. Police have completed their scene examination, but the spokesperson said they are not yet in a position to identify the deceased.

Clocks go back an hour
Daylight saving time ends tomorrow, Sunday April 3, at 3am, when clocks go back one hour. Daylight saving begins again on September 25. Since 2007, daylight saving time has begun at 2am on the last Sunday in September and ended at 3am on the first Sunday in April.

ED for emergencies only
The Northland District Health Board is advising the public to only visit Whangārei Hospital's emergency department in emergencies only. The ED is currently extremely busy and non-emergency cases are being advised to self care and call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or visit their GP, Maori health provider or pharmacist. Patients whose condition is not urgent may be asked to wait in the ED or will be advised of other options. Patients are seen by order of priority, not arrival times.

Outdoor fires okay
Most of Northland has returned to an open fire season from yesterday morning. The only exception is areas north of Awanui to Cape Reinga, including Karikari Peninsula, that have moved to a restricted season. An open fire season means permits are no longer required to light an open-air fire. "The significant rain across most of Northland over the past three weeks has lowered fire risks considerably," Fire and Emergency district manager Northland Wipari Henwood said. "As we move into autumn the risks are likely to remain low." North of Awanui to Cape Reinga, including Karikari Peninsula, has had a number of large-scale wildfires this past summer. Wipari has reminded everyone to be careful and to check weather conditions before lighting an open-air fire, whatever the fire season. More information, fire safety tips, and whether a permit is needed for a specific location, can be found at www.checkitsalright.nz.

NorthTec's football partnership
NorthTec has announced a new partnership with Northland Football Club (Northland FC). NorthTec will provide equipment and personnel from its high performance lab and sport and recreation pathway for the purpose of athlete testing during the football season. This will be used to support further training and performance plans as well as possibly provide a base for shared research. Both the club and NorthTec will help Northland FC players interested in enrolling in tertiary study, not just with sport and recreation programmes but over the entire 100 programmes offered by NorthTec, including transition into vocational careers via the hands-on and practical training NorthTec provides.

Safer driving skills
Training 4 Safety is helping equip Northlanders with the skills to drive safely off-road. The company is currently putting about 30 Northlanders through an advanced two-day 4WD course. Training 4 Safety managing director Mike Lindsay said the course was about people learning to make good decisions to keep themselves, their colleagues and vehicles safe from unnecessary harm. Safety training for LUV/side by side is also an option. Lindsay believed this, combined with 4WD training, was important for providing young farmworkers with the knowledge, skills and attributes to operate machinery effectively and responsibly. Courses can be one, two or three days and include a combination of theory and practical sessions. People must provide their own vehicle. For more information visit training4safetylimited.co.nz.

Short-story competition
Northlanders can enter the Sargeson Prize, New Zealand's richest short-story competition, with entries already open. First prize in the open division is worth $10,000. The competition, named after celebrated New Zealand writer Frank Sargeson, is in its fourth year and is sponsored by the University of Waikato. The winning purse has increased year on year, and this year the total prize pool is more than $12,000. Chief judge for the competition this year is Dame Fiona Kidman, one of New Zealand's best-known novelists and short-story writers. Go to www.waikato.ac.nz for more information.