Government Helpline information template

Date: Event: Agency:

The Government Helpline provides immediate information relating to services and assistance available to people affected by a declared or non-declared adverse event.

Helpline assistance includes:

 providing easy access to information (including policies) from central government, local government and non-government agencies  providing information regarding programmes that offer assistance and support  ensuring people get the right help, in the right way at the right time.

To ensure that the information you want distributed by the Government Helpline is accurate, please provide the following details:

VITAL INFORMATION Target Audience: (Who are your key audience groups - The people most likely to be calling the Helpline for information?)

Key Messages: (What are the key messages you want the Helpline to convey?)

e.g. A welfare centre has been set up in Lower Hutt. The - In the affected area: address is 00 High Street and hours of operation are 7am – 10pm daily.

- Outside the affected area:

e.g. please avoid roads leading into the affected area to allow emergency services easy access

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The Helpline will reduce the number of non-urgent calls being directed to organisations that need to deal with more urgent matters. We will be able to manage calls better, as they come in, if a wide range of questions/answers are supplied. e.g  Where are your services being delivered from (physical addresses)?  What are the hours of operation in this scenario/emergency?  Are there any after hours services available?  Is there an 0800 number for [agency] that clients can access?  What are the key contact numbers available for the general public?  When is power likely to be restored? If you can’t tell me who can?  Website address for relevant information.

ADMINISTRATION Escalation process If call takers have no scripted agency response to a question asked – what should they tell the caller?

For example, you may require the call taker to record the question, advise the caller that your agency will contact them within a certain time then escalate to a manager within your agency.

Key Contact Who does MSD contact if there are gaps in agency information and further scripted responses are required?

Name, position, location, hours of availability, contact numbers – landline, cell phone; e-mail, any other available form of contact

Alternate Contacts (default arrangements) Who are the second and third contacts in alternate locations if the key contact can’t be reached?

Name, position, location, hours of availability, contact numbers – landline, cell phone; e-mail, any other available form of contact

Upon completion, please email this template to: [email protected]

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