Following AF8’s recent findings that a damaging earthquake on the alpine fault within the next 50 years is more likely than previously thought, The Wanaka App asked locals what they were doing to prepare.

Many had been prepared for some time. Kim Baker gathered an emergency kit for her family two years ago. 

“It took me a while to do it, but then I did it all in one day,” she said. 

She and her partner found a suggested list online, covering basics like candles, ponchos and toothbrushes through to dog food, an axe and heavy duty gloves.

“I bought four big storage boxes, got most of the stuff on the list and then did a big food shop. I bought four good quality sleeping bags from Wasties and improvised with some shelter stuff, like tarps.”

Kim also shared a useful experience.

“My daughter and her friends went tramping recently and wanted to use some of the food in the garage, but it had expired. I realised on a certain day each year I should refresh my kit and give the food to the Foodbank. In an ideal world, I would also have printed out a list of contents for each box to update if I took anything out.” 

For some locals, the recent report was a reminder to get started. 

Charlotte Brierley, who is new to town, said she had been unaware of the risk, but now she and her flatmates were slowly gathering the basics, collecting one or two items each time they shopped and learning about the risk.

Others still had work to do. Sophie Salib-Brown said: “about every six months we say we really need a kit and a plan, then proceed to do nothing about it. We have a rough idea about meeting place, etc. but nothing solid.”

Emergency Management Otago Upper Clutha officer Oliver Varley advised locals to start by visiting the Get Home Ready section of EMO’s website, which provides a list of essential, useful and personal emergency supply items people can use to start preparing or refresh their current supplies.

“I would also encourage people to have a look at their local Community Response Plan for all emergencies, and for people to sign up to Otago Gets Ready - which enables you to receive text/email alerts and share information about any skills, resources or vulnerabilities you may have which can assist Civil Defence in its planning,” Oliver said.

Mitre 10 MEGA Wanaka’s Matt Gallaher said staff had not noticed an increase in sales of emergency items thus far, but were on-hand to help customers gather them - and in the process of updating a ready-built kit for purchase.

PHOTO: Supplied