The Cook Islands Red Cross is asking people to donate used garden hoses for a disaster risk reduction program.
Photo: satura86/123RF
The charity is recycling hoses for a "roof tie down" programme to secure rooves during the cyclone season.
The hoses will be used to prevent abrasions between the tie down wires and roofing iron.
Disaster management co-ordinator Mata Hetland said any length of hose is useful as it's expensive having to buy new material.
Ms Hetland said people normally used rope but take it down after the cyclone seaon because it's an eyesore and that's quite a strenuous job.
"Nowadays we use galvanised wire. This goes over the roof because they're both galvanised and the hose is used to prevent any electrical shocks or any static that may happen when the wire is against the aluminium roofing, so the galvanised wire is threaded through the hose and mainly in the edges of the roof."
Forty homes on the island of Mauke are taking part in the "roof tie down" programme in the next couple of months.
Used garden hoses can be dropped off to the Cook Islands Red Cross headquarters in Tupapa or people can contact the HQ to arrange for the team to pick up the hoses.
