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Welcome to the New Zealand Embalmers Association Website
Membership to NZEA is open
to individuals who hold a recognised qualification in Embalming
practices, and applications for membership is available by using the
email attached to this site. Each individual membership application is
accessed and approved by the current executive of NZEA, and put before a
full membership vote and a general meeting.
The association usually
meets twice a year, with the half-yearly meeting and seminar held in May
of each year at venues that alternate between centres in the North and
South Islands. The End of Year Meeting, Annual General Meeting,
Seminar, and Graduation Ceremony is held each November in Wellington.
NZEA's role in the New Zealand Funeral Profession
NZEA
is committed to providing the most up to date technology the world has
to offer in mortuary services, so that members can take these skills
back to their provinces and offer them to the bereaved families they
serve. The Association is continuing to pressure Government
for the recognition that the profession of embalming should be practiced
only, by suitably qualified persons. The completion of a joint
Industry Code of Practice
between the New Zealand Embalmers Association and the Funeral Directors
Association of New Zealand, is a documentation of the high standards
that the public of New Zealand must expect, when engaging the
services of one of its members.
NZEA has assisted the
Ministry of Health in the writing of handbooks and protocols for
handling infectious cases, and guidelines for the disinterment of
bodies. NZEA also provides support to the Government recognised
Industry Training Organisation. The Funeral Service Training Trust with
two representatives elected by membership are appointed as advisors to
the trust. Education standards for new entrants wishing to gain
qualifications to become an embalmer, and continuing education for
existing members, is the foundation for which the association is based
on. The sharing of ideas, support of one another, a united voice with
outside organisations, and a forum for the general public to pass their
comments, is also the concept behind being a member.
NZEA members
were heavily involved in caring for the deceased, following the Erebus
disaster on November 28 1979. In 1992 an embalming disaster response team was formed from members of NZEA.
Today this team remains on standby at short notice to respond to any
multi-death situations that may occur in and around New Zealand and may
be activated by contacting the President of NZEA. Training for
embalming under difficult conditions has been carried out by NZEA
members who have voluntarily made themselves available. The Disaster
response team is also registered with an International Crises Management
and Contingency Planning Company (Blake Emergency Services)
All members of
NZEA are sent
quarterly publications in order to keep everyone up to date with
articles and facts about the changes and experiences that are happening
within the funeral profession.
A peer support team for
personnel involved in the Funeral network can be activated via the
President, as the pressure of work life and home life, can easily take
its toll on members of both the New Zealand Funeral Directors
Association and New Zealand Embalmers Association.
Please be encouraged to
contact the New Zealand Embalmers Association for any further
information, or about membership, and we always welcome any comments.
David Parker, Dip FS, MNZEA
President NZEA, 2004
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