The Government has decided that the Civil Defence mission should continue to be: To facilitate, through the Local Authorities, Civil Defence responses for emergency relief and support to ensure the operation of vital services and the maintenance of public life and to provide other community supports as directed by the Government. The members of the Civil Defence organisation are volunteers and local administration is arranged by a full time Civil Defence Officer. Members are trained in various skills such as first aid, ambulance skills, rescue, basic fire fighting, evacuee care, land and water search, radiation monitoring, boat handling, driving, and communications. Other skills taught are map reading, compass work, response to flooding, environmental problems, blizzard conditions and major emergencies.
