Interview: Hawkes Bay FENZ share reflections on work with RRT
When a family loses their home to fire or is forced out unexpectedly in the middle of the night, the moments that follow can be overwhelming.
In these trying times, the Hawke’s Bay Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Community Relief Team steps in, offering immediate support and helping connect people with the care they need.
Rapid Relief Team (RRT) is honoured to support this work, which forms part of RRT’s wider support for FENZ crews across New Zealand, where our volunteers provide practical assistance, including refreshments at major incidents and essential relief items for people affected by emergencies.
As RRT marks its sixth year of supporting FENZ’s regional team in Hawke’s Bay, Napier RRT volunteer, Ben Carney, caught up with Katja Williams of the local FENZ Community Relief Team to reflect on our work together.
Since 2021, RRT has donated 72 Essential Boxes to Hawke’s Bay FENZ, along with additional blankets, beanies, socks, care kits and food boxes.
Each Essential Box contains practical items to help people through the first hours after an emergency, including warm clothing, toiletries, supplies and comforting items that help restore a sense of normality.
These boxes are distributed by FENZ to people in the immediate aftermath of traumatic events, when they are in urgent need of support.
As Katja explains, RRT’s Essential Boxes have become an important part of that response and have proven to have a significant impact.
“I've seen people wear the RRT beanie six months after the event because they treasure them. It was the one thing that gave them a sense of comfort after the distress.”
Katja Williams, Hawkes Bay FENZ
Watch the full interview below.
