The frigate HMNZS Te Mana’s crew has been dispersed throughout Napier, Hastings, and Havelock North to assist residents working to clean up damaged homes and streets.
The ship arrived in Napier on Friday, and supplies—including 26 tonnes of relief material, food, water, gasoline, clothing, and electrical generators—have been slowly unloaded since then.
The Emergency Operations Center, located within Napier City Council, has been managing humanitarian duties over the past two days, coordinating a crew of 130 people at a time.
Coincidentally, Te Mana was scheduled to visit Napier this weekend for the Art Deco Festival, which honours the Napier earthquake of 1931 and the sailors sent ashore by HMS Veronica to help the stricken city.
According to Te Mana’s Executive Officer, LTCDR Nicholas Foster, the ship is a people power resource that is prepared to leave port and offer assistance when the local government needs it.
The teams have assisted with removing the damaged property from Havelock North’s streets and homes, helping homeowners carrying large objects to the sidewalk, and cleaning mud and sludge from residences. Crew members saved even a cow that had become stuck in the ground.
The ship’s seaboats have been utilized in other locations to clear the Napier port of floating logs. The harbour master and the ship’s hydrographer have been using a drone to evaluate a local beach while surveying a nearby sandbar and damaged navigational markers. In addition to helping with the logistics side of the cargo Te Mana carried, several crew members have been assisting with dinner preparation at a nearby feeding centre. At a soup kitchen, staff members serve meals to homeless people and allow the drained volunteers to rest.
LTCDR Foster, who was on exchange with the Canadian Navy during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, drew comparisons to that tragedy. It’s strange how some streets might be destroyed while the next block over is unaffected. The ship’s crew has been lining up to go out and assist. Except for the ship’s duty watch, everyone has been let out gradually. We are a warship, but we can transform into 160 strong individuals if necessary.
