Cyclone Gabrielle: Red Cross delivers free psychological first aid training in affected areas

The New Zealand Red Cross has completed psychological first aid training courses for people in areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

These courses have so far trained 182 health and community champions across Wairoa, Hastings and Napier, and were made available free of charge, thanks to the generous donations from Kiwis who have collectively donated more than $13 million in the weeks since the cyclone hit.

The work is, however, far from done. Over the coming weeks, the Red Cross will be further bolstering the existing teams so they can offer additional support to communities during early recovery.

“Across the many forms our support will take over coming weeks, our mission remains the same – ensuring that we improve the lives of the most vulnerable. Our aim is to give communities tools, skills, and resources that could help in the months ahead,” says Sean Stewart, New Zealand Red Cross general manager emergency management and international.

“We know the communities with the greatest needs will likely need a range of support. To maximise our impact within communities we will be working or partnering with existing organisations and community groups and resourcing them to continue their work or scale up their support.”

Across the affected areas, the Red Cross continues to work directly with Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups, city and district councils, Te Arawhiti and iwi leaders. The institution is also working with several communities on tailored support packages and is close to opening an application process that will enable groups and organisations to apply for funding to support their community.

So far more than $1.88m has been committed to supporting these communities, through the New Zealand Disaster Fund.

The Red Cross is also supporting expertise and enabling water repairs in North Piha, helping the preschool to reopen and supporting the community for the next three months, as well as providing household clean-up kits which include brooms, dust masks, cleaning products, and overalls. Up to 1000 kits will be available to city and district councils, community groups and Red Cross service centres for distribution to those who need them.

In addition to that, the Red Cross is funding about 750 emergency food parcels delivered via existing foodbank facilities across the affected regions, and providing 100 dehumidifiers to help dry out flood-damaged homes in Wairoa.

NZ Red Cross volunteers are out working in the community in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Supplied

Over the last few weeks, 15 disaster welfare and support teams and other Red Cross people have travelled to affected areas from as far south as Invercargill, completing more than 5000 hours of support work, which they could not have done without the support of their whānau and their workplaces.

“We are grateful to all our volunteers and members who made a significant contribution to the response to the severe weather and cyclone over the past month. Our people helped deliver supplies to isolated communities, provided psychosocial support to those affected, worked with Civil Defence Emergency Management and other organisations and emergency services in carrying out needs assessments, and were on the ground to help where needed,” Stewart says.

“As we move beyond the initial response, we’re increasing our services in affected communities to make sure we can support where and when we’re needed most.”

Donations can be made here: New Zealand Disaster Fund | New Zealand Red Cross