Forty-two state-of-the-art tsunami sirens are to be installed near coastal settlements around the Far North. Photo / NZME
Forty-two state-of-the-art tsunami sirens are to be installed near coastal settlements around the Far North. Photo / NZME
Forty-two state-of-the-art tsunami sirens are to be installed near coastal settlements around the Far North District over the coming months. The sirens are designed to alert people with loud, clear instructions on what to do in the event of a possible tsunami wave. Manufactured in Denmark, the sirens can useback-up power sources during outages to provide warnings during an emergency. The $6.5 million upgrade to the existing system will update and replace older, outdated technology. All four Northland councils are sharing the cost of the rollout.
Go red for Red Nose Day
Kiwis are being asked to do something embarrassing or silly in July for Cure Kids’ child health research, in a fundraiser called Go Red for Red Nose Day. Cure Kids is relaunching its iconic Red Nose Day fundraiser to help fund research for Kiwi kids, with the aim of raising more than $500,000 this year by getting people to be sponsored for doing something that might make them blush. Red Nose Day itself is this Friday but the fundraiser runs for all of July. Go to rednoseday.co.nz for more information.
Flu research
Whangārei Hospital’s intensive care unit is one of 12 ICUs across the country taking part in a landmark study into the treatment of pneumonia, flu and pandemic infections like Covid-19. The Health Research Council NZ has awarded a $5m grant over five years to the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand for the study. The Randomised, Embedded, Multifactorial, Adaptive Platform for Community-Acquired Pneumonia or REMAP-CAP study was started in 2016 and is a global initiative to find the most effective treatments for severe pneumonia and influenza. The study will be overseen by Dr Colin McArthur and Dr Tom Hills, who jointly lead the Medical Research Institute NZ Infectious Diseases programme, supported by a large research team in 12 ICUs across the motu.
Coastguard is looking for more volunteers to help keep Kiwis safe at sea. Coastguard Tautiaki Moana volunteer manager Jacqui Arnold said there is a role for everyone - whether they are a seasoned boatie or someone who wants to stick closer to shore. Volunteers are needed at Northland units including Houhora, Bay of Islands, Whangārei, North Kaipara, Whangaruru and Northland Coastguard Air Patrol. Go to coastguard.nz to find out more.
Northland writer Emma Philips won an international award at this year’s National Flash Fiction Day. Philips was presented with the award during a Whangārei event on June 22. Philips, a former Ararua resident, was head girl at Ruawai College last year and is currently studying physics at the University of Auckland. Her story We Couldn’t Find The Cat, So We Had To Leave It Behind won theinternational youth award for stories up to 300 words. Another of her stories, The World Ended With The Explosion of The Sun But I Won’t Know For Another 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds, was highly commended.
