From Dr Wolfgang Scholz Director
Firstly, HERA staff and I am sure the collective HERA membership, would like to offer our condolences and heartfelt sympathies to all those members and their families affected by the 22nd February earthquake.

The daily information flow has, in dramatic fashion, brought the extent of the suffering and damage to all of us and we are painfully aware how dire the situation is for many of our members.

Also we have not heard from many of our Christchurch members and if you are in a situation where you are able to post a reply, we look forward to hearing from you on how you are doing.

To assist those affected, we would like to offer the HERA network and HERA staff expertise. We believe the following could be helpful and we ask you to let us know if there are other ways in which HERA or its membership might be able to assist.

* HERA network – request for equipment and skills
Please send to marketing@hera.org.nz or phone Brian Low on 09 262 4845 with any requests for equipment or special skills you may have and which you feel may reside in a HERA member company. HERA will then mail out the request to all HERA members and also publish the request on the HERA website.

* HERA/SCNZ skills/advice
As you are aware, HERA and SCNZ has a free advice service in respect to steel construction, welded fabrication and inspection. Please call HERA on 09 262 2856 and get directed to the appropriate person for advice.

* Structural Steel and Welded Fabrication Performance
HERA is exploring the establishment of a project researching the performance of fabricated structures in buildings and general infrastructure such as bridges, tanks, or processing equipment.

Please provide us with any information relating to critical, but also excellent performance, of structures, so that this experience can be captured. In due course it is intended that a specialist team will investigate further.

Please send us any relevant info including photos and details of who can be contacted about this item to info@hera.org.nz so that they can be cataloged.