Ngaaruawaahia was the setting for a major training exercise
on Wednesday 20 August, when more than 300 people from seven organisations came
together for Exercise Runaway.
Hosted at Waikato District Council’s office and led by New
Zealand Police, the exercise created a realistic but safe simulation of an
armed offender incident. The aim: to test how emergency services and council
teams work together in a fast-moving simulated crisis.
Police frontline and tactical teams joined with St John,
Fire and Emergency NZ and council staff, supported by more than 180 volunteer
role-players. Their job was to create the pressure of a real emergency, from
loud evacuations to “injuries” needing urgent care.
Inspector Neil Faulkner of Waikato Police says the benefits
were clear:
“Exercises like this show how our plans stand up in real
time. They also highlight where we can improve and, most importantly, how we
work alongside other agencies to deliver a coordinated response.”
The Ngaaruawaahia council office closed at 3pm with all
services taken care of by our libraries and other offices across the district.
With guests from other councils and emergency services, the afternoon began
with a karakia led by Tainui representatives before teams deployed. Police
moved through the council’s complex office layout, while St John responders
treated “injured” volunteers. Behind the scenes, an incident management team
coordinated the bigger picture from Hamilton Central Police Station.
By early evening, the exercise had wrapped up and
participants came together to reflect on the lessons learned. Senior Sergeant
Paul Nemme said the scale and realism made it one of the most valuable training
opportunities many had experienced.
“While none of us wish to face this scenario in real life,
the insights we gained will strengthen our readiness and ensure we are better
prepared to keep our communities safe.”
Waikato District Council Chief Executive Craig Hobbs
acknowledged the commitment of staff and volunteers whose enthusiasm made the
day possible.
Exercise Runaway reinforced the importance of strong
partnerships between emergency services, council and iwi – partnerships that
ensure when challenges arise, our district is ready to respond.
