21 February 2020
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
Dear Alan,
Request for information
IR-01-20-2005
Thank you for your online submission dated 21 January 2020 requesting
information surrounding the management of the Whakaari/ White Island
eruption.
You requested:
1. With respect to the definition in CIMS, was NZ Police the “lead
agency” for the response to the disaster?
2. Confirmation that NZ Police implemented the NZ CIMS (currently
version 2) in the management of this disaster as required by
Government.
3. The names of the services, agencies and organisations who were
appointed into positions within the Incident Management Team (IMT)
as prescribed by CIMS until demobilisation was completed.
4. The total number of formal/written Incident Action Plans (IAPs) as
prescribed by CIMS that were signed off by the Incident Controller
(IC) for the period of the response.
5. Copies of each of the IAPs for the first 5 days of the Whakaari/White
Island response.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the Official
Information Act 1982, and my response is as follows:
In regards to point 1
: New Zealand Police were not the lead agency in the
Whakaari/White Island eruption. The National Emergency Management
Agency - Civil Defence was the lead agency from the 9 December until the
end of the operation.
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wel ington SX11149
Telephone: (04) 474 9499. www.police.govt.nz
In regards to point 2: I can confirm that New Zealand Police, as a service
operating to support the lead agency, used its prescribed command and
control practices which are aligned to fit in with the CIMS framework.
In relation to points 3, 4 and 5: These requests have been transferred to the
National Emergency Management Team - Civil Defence due to the fact that
they were the lead agency.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision if you are
not satisfied with Police’s response to your request.
Yours sincerely,
Superintendent Andrew Sissons
National Manager Response & Operations
