Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO)

 Judges’ comments

Feedback on the three documents submitted as part of this entry included:

• This guide excels on structure, headings, layout, and presentation.
• The time-related elements woven into the structure work well and create manageable steps for ‘right now’, ‘today’, ‘tonight’, ‘this weekend’, ‘next weekend’ — with a doable task on each page.
• The guide has a clear and logical structure. The information is divided into manageable chunks in six colour-coded sections. The main tasks/messages can be quickly seen by scanning the headings.

Media statement

The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) is thrilled its work has been selected as a finalist in the technical category of the WriteMark Plain English Awards.

WREMO is responsible for helping prepare the Wellington region to manage significant emergency events such as earthquakes and tsunamis. These are events that either exceed the capability of the emergency services or otherwise require a significant coordinated response.

WREMO is committed to ensuring its messages are simple and easy to understand. This is because its guidance is ultimately what helps people get prepared and respond effectively in times of crisis.

‘People need reassurance and clear guidance about what to do before, during, and after emergencies. Lives will be saved if individuals and communities work together to help each other. Our guides help people prepare themselves and their communities’, said Jeremy Holmes, WREMO’s Regional Manager.

‘We know that the emergency services will struggle to reach everyone who needs assistance when a significant earthquake strikes the Wellington region. Individuals and communities will need to do what they can to help those around them.

‘There are people in our communities who do not have English as a first language, struggle with literacy, or prefer not to read details. Our guides use plain language and images to get complex, technical messages across. Through this approach we help people make good decisions in times of high stress and confusion.’

Jeremy Holmes
Regional Manager