Our team

Paul Allen

Resilience Advisor - Group Office
70 Stafford Street  
Dunedin 9054 

Email: paul.allen@otagocdem.govt.nz

Matthew Alley

Group Manager
1 Dunorling St
Alexandra 9320

Email: matt.alley@otagocdem.govt.nz

Dan Andrew

Emergency Management Advisor  (Queenstown Lakes)
10 Gorge Rd, Queenstown 9300

Email:  dan.andrew@otagocdem.govt.nz

Karen Beattie

Emergency Management Advisor (Dunedin) 
Level C, 54 Moray Place
Dunedin 9054

Email:  karen.beattie@otagocdem.govt.nz

Craig Gibson

Emergency Management Advisor  (Queenstown Lakes)
10 Gorge Rd, Queenstown 9300

 Email: Craig.Gibson@otagocdem.govt.nz

Ewen Graham

Emergency Management Advisor (Waitaki)
Centennial Memorial Building, 1 Severn Street
Oamaru 9400

Email:  ewen.graham@otagocdem.govt.nz

Ewen is a member of the Otago Civil Defence & Emergency Management Team in the role of Emergency Management Officer in the Waitaki District.  Ewen’s day to day role is to support the development of resilient communities in the Waitaki District and to assist the Regional Manager in moving the Emergency Management Group’s planning and activities to a higher level of integration and consistency for the long term benefit of all the Communities of Otago.

Ewen’s primary focus is to:

• To assist in leading emergency management preparedness and planning within the Waitaki District.
• To contribute to regional activity and development in support of a resilient Otago.
• To build and maintain strong relationships with key individuals, partner organisations and communities in order to achieve a high level of community resilience to adverse events and fulfil Emergency Management objectives.
• To ensure operational readiness and effectiveness for any Civil Defence incident or emergency.
• To recruit and train sufficient personnel to be able to respond effectively and efficiently to an emergency, including community volunteers.
• To support key committees and groups within the community as required.
• Support key regionally focused committees.
• To maintain the local Emergency Operations Centre facilities, resources and plans for optimum functionality in an event.

Ewen is based in Waitaki District Council buildings in Oamaru, however he works together with the five Districts of Otago to further strengthen Emergency Management Otago.

Taylor Hendl

Administration System Support - Group Office
70 Stafford Street 
Dunedin 9054

Email: Taylor.Hendl@otagocdem.govt.nz

Andy MacKenzie Everitt

Emergency Management Advisor (Dunedin) 
Level C, 54 Moray Place
Dunedin 9054

Email: Andy.MacKenzieEveritt@otagocdem.govt.nz

Glenn Mitchell

Team Leader - Group Office
70 Stafford Street 
Dunedin 9054

Email:  glenn.mitchell@otagocdem.govt.nz

Keryn Robertson

Readiness and Response Advisor - Group Office
70 Stafford Street 
Dunedin 9054

Email: Keryn.Robertson@otagocdem.govt.nz 

 

Brendon Smith

Emergency Management Advisor (Clutha)
1 Rosebank Terrace, PO Box 25
Balclutha 9230 

Email: brendon.smith@otagocdem.govt.nz

Oliver Varley

Emergency Management Advisor (Central Otago/Queenstown Lakes)
185 Riverbank Road
Wanaka 9382

Email:   oliver.varley@otagocdem.govt.nz

Erica Andrews

Stakeholder Engagement Advisor - Group Office
70 Stafford Street 
Dunedin 9054

Email: erica.andrews@otagocdem.govt.nz

Derek Shaw

Emergency Management Advisor (Central Otago) 
1 Dunorling Street 
Alexandra 9320 

Email: Derek.Shaw@otagocdem.govt.nz

 

 

 

Controllers and declarations

The Civil Defence Emergency Management priority is public safety; reducing the loss of life and injury, and relieving the distress of those affected by the disaster.

If a state of emergency is in force, you must follow all instructions given by emergency services and civil defence.

Civil Defence is often involved in localised events such as floods and storms, monitoring conditions throughout the troubled district, tracking weather patterns and keeping an overview to ensure safety.

Its role widens when an official state of national or local emergency is declared under section 68 or section 69 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. The CDEM Group will decide if an event is so serious that a state of emergency must be declared.

Once a declaration is made the Group Controller is the head of the CDEM Group response organisation and has two key responsibilities:

• To participate in the planning and implementation of activities which will prepare the community to respond effectively to any civil defence emergency;
• To lead, direct, and coordinate all resources as necessary to respond effectively to the impact of a disaster during a state of local emergency.

The Group Controllers are trained in emergency management procedures. The CDEM Group has also appointed local controllers for each of the districts within the region under section 27 of the CDEM Act. Within their respective districts, the local controllers manage their local emergencies and report to the Group Controller.

Trained and experienced Controllers are pivotal in leading the response to emergencies in each district as well as at the regional level. They hold their authority from the Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and operate under the provisions of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

Here is the list of Controllers who are authorised to act in Otago as of 5 March 2019.