NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE TEAM ADVISORY GROUP

Terms of Reference
Background

Response Teams have been part of the New Zealand CDEM structure for over 30
years. Since the introduction of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002
and through experience of dealing with emergencies the role of these teams has
changed to providing a much wider range of response activities. A large number of
teams exist across the country, they all comprise volunteer members and are owned
or managed by a range of organisations including Territorial Authorities, tertiary
institutions, NZ Red Cross etc

In recent years MCDEM has provided support to establish teams, produced

documentation guidelines etc, however this is now changed and there is now a need
for CDEM organisations and their teams to take a greater level of ownership and
actively participate in providing support to teams in the future.

The establishment of a Response team Advisory Group was supported unanimously

at the meeting of team leaders and managers held in Wellington on 29th May 2010.

Approvals

These terms of reference have been agreed by the Ministry of Civil Defence and
Emergency Management, Manager Development (Chair National Urban Search and
Rescue Advisory Board

Purpose

The Advisory Group will act as a single point of reference group to advise the
Ministry on all aspects of Response team activities.

Objectives

These are:-.
 To assist in setting, reviewing and maintaining national standards for
response teams.
 To determine subject matter experts for the skills and activities undertaken by
teams.
 To provide a conduit for teams to both receive and feedback to the Ministry,
CDEM Groups, Territorial Authorities, Team owners in the areas of:-

1
 o Policy
o Guidelines
o Processes
o Standards
o Operational issues .
 Ensuring that the best interests of teams is a foremost consideration and in
line with national and CDEM Group arrangements.
 To assist the Ministry in promoting the Response Team concept to
stakeholders and the wider emergency response sector within New Zealand

Membership

The membership will consist of 4 persons drawn from senior Response team
members and nominated by teams on an annual basis. The persons nominated must
have demonstrated the technical skills required across a range of Response team
activities or have managerial responsibilities within a team. Ideally the membership
will be representative of both North and South Island teams .

 *Refer to annex A for the current membership as of 2010

Reporting and Governance

 The Advisory Group will be coordinated by the Response Team project leader
within MCDEM, supported by the Regional Emergency Management Advisors
(REMA’s ) from each of the three MCDEM Regional offices .
 Participation in the work of the Advisory Group is voluntary
 As much routine business as possible will be conducted using email and
conference calls. One face to face meeting per year may be scheduled
subject to availability of finance
 Costs of participation will be borne by those participating.
 Minutes of meetings and conference calls will be circulated to all response
teams once confirmed as correct by the Advisory Group members.
 A workplan and priorities will be established on an annual basis.

Annex A
Current membership (2010) is :

 Jason Paul – Team Leader, NZRT8, Tawa

 Brandon Guttery – Team Manager, NZRT3, Waitakere
 Shane Briggs – Rescue Manager, NZRT4, Palmerston North
 Stephen Manson – New Zealand Red Cross