Staff step up during rain events

When manager of road maintenance Michelle Hedley took the call in the early hours of Sunday 26 November, she knew Wairoa was at risk.  ‘Here we go again, she thought.

She also knew that any minute now, her Quality Roading and Services staff would start phoning in to help. “At times like this, they all want to help the community, whether it be their friends, their mum, their dads. It’s all of us helping each other.”

That weekend it rained and rained. Sometimes, the deluge was deafening on Michelle’s house roof. On Sunday morning as daylight arrived, Michelle took the call from Wairoa District Council to let her know Wairoa was starting to flood. Again. A civil defence emergency could be called.

“I think we all know now to be rain-prepared and this event was no different.”

Michelle has worked in the roading industry for 30 years and is used to emergency works on the region’s roadways. But 2023 stands out as one of the most challenging for Michelle and her road maintenance crew.

“This year has taught us a lot and we’re used to it now. We know what needs to be done, where our gear needs to be, and what our priorities are.”

Michelle also knows that her staff are ready and willing to help. Even before she started calling staff in on their day off her phone pinged with offers of help.  “Many of our staff ring in even before we call,” says Michelle. She credits QRS staff with pride and passion when it comes to looking after locals. “It’s awesome and it makes our life easier.”

Over 30 staff poured into QRS’s Kaimoana Rd depot on the morning of Sunday 26 November. They worked in shifts through the next 24 hours manning closed roads and clearing slips and flooding.

During events like this, QRS follows instructions from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Wairoa District Council. Staff and public safety are at the forefront of all decisions.

QRS’s new operations hub served as the epicentre for information gathering and emergency management. Michelle and her team were pleased to host Wairoa District Council and Fulton Hogan staff onsite, so everyone was responding in real-time to the unfolding event.

“Our priority was helping people who were experiencing flooding and for a while, there was a real potential for evacuations. Having everyone onsite at the operations hub made communication a lot easier and priorities were clearer.”

“Thank you to the public for your understanding and support as we worked during these recent rain events,” adds Michelle. “Our priority is to keep people moving and open up roads as quickly and safely as possible. Like you, our fingers are crossed for a nice long sunny summer!” 

19 December 2023

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