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Staying prepared: Rotary International president-elect Sakuji Tanaka, of Japan, looks over equipment with Tony Dowell, centre, and Tatsu Kuwasaki of St John Ambulance. |
An international fundraising drive has replenished emergency resources that were exhausted after the Canterbury earthquakes.
Rotary presented Christchurch’s St John Ambulance with $70,000 on Saturday with contributions coming from Rotary clubs around the country and the world.
Lindsay Crossen, Rotary co-ordinator for the fundraising project, said the money would help St John replace medical equipment, personnel equipment, mass casualty incident equipment, medical kits, welfare boxes (to support staff in emergency) and first response packs.
‘‘Christchurch and Canterbury requires the full mobilisation of St John whenever disaster strikes. During the earthquakes, St John consumed a lot of their basic emergency resources to the extent that their capability to respond to another similar event to 22 February in the near future will be a challenge.
‘‘After being used in an emergency, many resources are damaged or consumed to the extent that they are no longer reliable or usable for first response emergency.’’
Rotary district governor David Drake said it celebrated the links between Christchurch and Japan and their recent shared earthquake experiences with President-elect of Rotary International, Sakuji Tanaka from Japan, presenting the cheque.
‘‘Mr Tanaka wanted to come to Christchurch to personally present the cheque.
‘‘The links between New Zealand and Japan have been strengthened this year and Mr Tanaka’s visit is recognition of that.’’
Also Mr Drake explained that The Rotary Foundation and Rotary District 3780 in Quezon City, Philippines, were the international connections who provided a substantial part of project funding.
South Island St John general manager David Thomas thanked Rotary for its dedication and fundraising.
‘‘St John is a charity that relies on the generosity of the community, and community organisations like Rotary, to help us with our caring activities. The costs and impact of the earthquakes have been great on us, so the support of the members of Rotary is vital. They have dug deep to support us and have also reached out internationally.’’
Tanaka’s visit to St John was an honour, he said.
‘‘The people of Japan know only too well the trauma and destruction of earthquakes. St John is deeply honoured to have Mr Tanaka visiting us in Christchurch.’’
