The objectives of this project are to:

• Provide a ready stock of Emergency Response Kits (formerly known as Emergency Boxes) containing useful items in standard containers for use as survival kits in emergencies, within New Zealand and the South Pacific.
• Give every Rotary Club the opportunity to take part in a worthwhile low cost World Community Service project.

NOTE: Emergency Response Kits are available for $600 each.

Cheques for payment should be marked "Not Transferable" made out to "Rotary District 9940 Emergency Response Kits" and sent to:

The District 9940 Convenor:
Dave Wilson (Eastern Hutt)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
for information or posting address details.

To download further information on the scheme click here.

How the Emergency Response Kit Scheme is Organised

The NZ Rotary effort, first introduced to NZ by District 9940 in 1983, is coordinated and led by District 9920 which of course includes many of the Pacific countries the project is aimed at supporting. Overall management of the program rests with RNZWCS Limited.

A stock of Emergency Resource Kits is stored at Jas Jenners near Auckland Airport. ready to be airlifted to to the affected areas at short notice.  The preferred level would be to have at least 300 on hand to enable us to respond significantly to cyclones and other disasters. Some kits are also held at strategic locations in the Pacific Islands.

When a cyclone hits we endeavour through RNZWCS Limited to obtain Government funding to airfreight boxes to the effected area. This funding assistance has been forthcoming over recent years.

Deployments

Deployment is handled through the local Rotary club(s) on the affected islands.

In January 2009 some 150 ERKs were distribited immediately after the Fiji floods from a stock held in Lautoka and a further 300 ERKs were flown up from Auckland a few days later. In late September 2009 Rotary NZ responded within a few hours to the Samoan Tsunami disaster, and have progressively despatched over 400 ERKs courtesy of Air New Zealand and NZAID/RNZAF to be distributed in the affected areas.

The Box project is reviewed each six months, and after each shipment a report is sent to NZAID.