At FIRST72, we are dedicated to fostering resilient communities capable of handling emergencies with confidence and efficiency. Recently, we embarked on a significant partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to deliver 22 of our state-of-the-art emergency pods to the South Island, preparing , among other threats, for the inevitable Alpine Fault Magnitude (AF8) event.

EPOD, developed right here in Hawke’s Bay by our co-founder and manager Harry McPhail, is rooted in the belief that communities should be self-sufficient in the critical first days following a disaster. Our pods are designed to provide essential equipment, tools, and resources to ensure communities can thrive without immediate external aid.

Harry McPhail encapsulates our mission perfectly: “The pods have enough equipment, tools, resources, and support to really enable the communities to get through those first three to seven days (after a disaster). It’s all about making sure these communities ‘get to grips’ with how to handle the first 72 hours after a disaster and feel confident to do so.”
Our partnership with Ngāi Tahu aims to support their marae and communities, enhancing their resilience in the face of a potential large-scale AF8 disaster. Unfortunately, it’s not a question of if such an event will occur, but when.

The deployment will begin on the West Coast, followed by Christchurch, Banks Peninsula, Kaikōura, and continuing down to Dunedin and Invercargill. We are on track to have all 22 pods deployed by July 31.

“Our partnership with EPOD is a crucial step towards safeguarding our whānau. By integrating our traditional knowledge with pre-positioned approaches, we can better prepare for natural disasters and protect our communities.” – Jamie Ruwhiu, programme manager of the whānau and emergency response team at Ngāi Tahu

“Marae and other community centres are a natural place of congregation and safety in natural disasters,” says McPhail. “We want to support those places by having critical resources and equipment so that they can effectively turn into community hubs and are able to house and take care of people in need.”

This collaboration with Ngāi Tahu represents our largest project to date and underscores our commitment to strategic planning and community resilience. Ngāi Tahu’s thorough identification of strategic sites, locations, and potential risk areas ensures our pods are positioned where they are needed most.

At EPOD, we are proud to partner with Ngāi Tahu, combining our innovative disaster readiness solutions with their deep-rooted care for their land and people. Together, we are building stronger, more prepared communities ready to face any challenge.