Civil Defence officers had to make their way through fallen trees blocking Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst's driveway for her to sign the State of Emergency declaration in the early hours of February 14.

Hazlehurst had been up through the night receiving regular updates from the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) team, which was tracking the intensity of Cyclone Gabrielle. 

It was during those early hours that she was advised by CDEM to declare a State of Emergency, which under legislation is required to be done in person.

"For me, we had 15 trees come down in our driveway. And so as the mayor, it was soon evident that we needed to sign a state of emergency declaration, and I needed to get out of my home to sign that. But realising the vastness of the cyclone, I couldn't get a vehicle out of my property. 

The team travelled to her home in Havelock North with a representative from NEMA.

"So the team had to walk over from Civil Defence through all the broken trees and debris at 2am in the morning for me to then sign the declaration." 

Now a year on, she reflects on the impact it had on the region. 

"We reflect on Cyclone Gabrielle and the enormous impact on our region, how it impacted so many families. And we think of those who lost loved ones through the cyclone, and we think of those who lost their homes and property. And we also think about those who lost their livelihoods.

"As we recover and respond, the 14th of February 2023, is etched in our memories, as we remember what happened on that day. And everybody has a different story to tell and how it impacted so many lives."

Watch the accompanying video to see the full interview with Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst. 

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