Napier cash services team help cyclone hit regional economies

Destroyed roads, power and telecommunications cuts, and ruined infrastructure made it very difficult to do business in the worst-hit Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti regions following Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year. Eftpos systems went down, causing major problems for locals who needed to buy food and other goods.

Ensuring our Napier Cash Services [link to Cash Services page] team could deliver critically needed product to cut-off towns and isolated communities saw the product flown in by plane and NZ Airforce helicopters, supported by NZ Police, NZ Defence Force and Civil Defence.

It made the usual Napier – Tairāwhiti transit runs “interesting” to say the least. As one of our Cash-in-Transit officers reported: “Doing our usual runs to customers in Wairoa, Gisborne, Tolaga Bay, Tokomaru Bay and Ruatoria took on a whole new level of excitement.

“My first trip after the floods was in the NH90 air force chopper, along with some colleagues. There were also people from other security firms, police and air force personnel on the flight.

“The chopper ride was just like a classic Vietnam War movie – they even had camouflage netting inside the helicopter to secure the cargo. The chopper’s doors were open for take-offs and landings – just like in the movies. We were all strapped in, so felt safe when the doors were open.

“Security is paramount so as soon as we touched down the armed AOS people jumped out and secured the perimeter before we were allowed to disembark.”

Our Napier Cash Services officer said he found the communities in those towns to be really positive despite all of the stress they were under. It was a privilege to have played our part in helping those communities keep their economies going in such a challenging situation.