Kuaotunu Emergency Support Group helping the community through lockdown

The Kuaotunu Emergency Support Group (KESG) was first assembled during Level 4 lockdown in 2020 and is once again on hand to help locals with any concerns they may have over lockdown, be it help with shopping for those who are vulnerable or providing reminders about rules under Level 4.

Be safe, be kind, be Kuaotunu 

KESG embraces the ‘be safe, be kind’ ethos through their KESG Facebook page which the moderators regularly patrol to keep it clear of any misinformation. KESG member Carolyn Wadey-Barron says that this approach was key to the success of the group in the last lockdown.

“We want the Facebook page and the group in general to be somewhere that people can come to for reassurance and support, rather than yet another source of fear or confusion.”

– Carolyn Wadey-Barron, KESG Member.

The group are not public health experts (despite having a registered nurse and a former social worker on the team) so are always keen to refer people to the Ministry of Health or the Covid-19 website for advice on matters of testing and health.

How the Kuaotunu Emergency Support Group can help  

This local support group offers reassurance that no one needs to go it alone. KESG holds a list of vulnerable people in the area and one group member, Carol Blair, has undertaken regular shopping trips on their behalf in order to get groceries and medication to them. If you are a Kuaotunu resident and wish to be added to this list of vulnerable people, please contact KESG.

With a mental health nurse on the team (Jannine Verner of Pacifico, see related link below), KESG also uses the Facebook platform to remind residents about all the resources available for those who are finding lockdown difficult to cope with.

“The uncertainty of a lockdown is tough on even the most mentally robust among us. We want to remind everyone of the resources available to help you through this tricky time, and encourage everyone to look at these as a reminder that you are not alone” 

– Jannine Verner - Pacifico

Praise from Thames Coromandel District Council

The group earned praise from Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) for all it achieved during the March 2020 lockdown, and TCDC were eager to debrief with the team when the country was back at Level 1 in order to see if the group could be replicated amongst other settlements across the Coromandel.

While originally called the Kuaotunu Covid-19 Response Team, the new name reflects that the group sees itself as one that wants to support the community through any emergency.

“We were all back in touch earlier this year in March when there was a tsunami threat which thankfully didn’t amount to much. It was a good reminder though to the team that we need to stay agile so we can provide support to this community in whatever form that may need to take”.  

– Steve Hart, Member KESG

While KESG does not have the capacity to take on people from outside the Kuaotunu area, the group encourages other villages and towns to set up similar groups.

To be able to provide this kind of reassurance to people at times like these, it’s just invaluable. And beyond that, having a Facebook page that is devoted to reassurance and help is such a rarity in the online world these days, and we’re very proud of that. 

– Wadey-Barron, Member KESG

More information about setting up a group for your community

If you would like more information about setting up a similar group for where you live, please contact Pam Balt at Thames Coromandel District Council or go to the  Waikato Region Emergency Management Group for more information.