Emergency Recovery Handbook

Cyclone Gabrielle was a severe tropical cyclone that devastated parts of the North Island of New Zealand and affected parts of Vanuatu and Australia in February 2023. It is the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere, with total damages estimated to be at least NZ$13.5 billion.

Collaboration

Hive Infrastructure worked alongside our local delivery partners in the development of a Recovery Handbook for Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency). Following the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023 and the emergency response, a handbook / guide was required that would enable Waka Kotahi staff to respond effectively and efficiently during emergencies, including natural disasters, accidents, and infrastructure failures.

Needs Assessment

Hive Infrastructure undertook extensive research, developed the handbook framework and developed this for socialisation with the wider client team. This assessment involved gathering input from various stakeholders, including emergency management agencies, law enforcement, transport operators and global best practice in recovery management.

Defining Objectives and Scope

Clear objectives and scope were established to guide the development process. The team identified the critical areas to be covered in the handbook, including incident response protocols, communication strategies, resource management, operational considerations and coordination with external agencies/local communities.

Research and Documentation

The project team conducted extensive research to gather existing guidelines, policies, and lessons learned from previous emergency events. This information was synthesised to create a foundation for the handbook's content.

Structure and Organisation