Southland Initiates Covid-19 Helpline

Emergency Management Southland (EMS) has activated an 0800 number, email address and website contact form to ensure every Southlander can access the support they need during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Southland Emergency Coordination Centre has been preparing for increasing welfare needs in the region and its contact points are up and running as of 7 am on Tuesday, March 31.

Group Controller Angus McKay said people should get in contact if they urgently needed assistance with access to essential household goods and services due to their self-isolation for Covid-19.

People can contact the staff at the centre through any of the following ways:

Phone: 0800 890 127

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.cdsouthland.nz

The email and 0800 number will be operated between 7 am-7 pm, 7 days a week.

EMS is developing a plan for the delivery of household good and services around the region.

EMS welfare staff had been checking in with communities around the region to get a handle on what peoples’ needs were, what was working well, and helping identify where the gaps were.

A lot of planning had gone into getting the centre operational, with strict protocols around physical distancing, and efforts to have staff work remotely where possible.