Been an interesting time since yesterday morning. There have been a lot of people slapping themselves on the back & some certainly deserve it whom I will get to later, but others are just fooling themselves.
First issue is the information.
Like many countries we have the yellow pages which has emergency instructions in the rear.
Major issues with the Civil Defence information there.
Introduction to Emergency Management, Third Edition (Homeland Security Series)
First issue was it has nominated radio stations to listen too. It used to be radio & TV but there are so many radio stations now they seem to settled on a few.
Great but what I noticed is most people went to watch on TV if power on. Society has changed. The other thing was I have my radio on one of those radio stations, but when I turned it on all I got was canned music. In fact that is all I got until I faintly got Radio Live(my sister was listening to them as well for information) which was reporting the earthquake, then found better reception & good reporting coming from Radio New Zealand.
It was just lack of information in the initial period even of a general nature that was probably worst thing for those in the quake zone. It was up to two & a half hours before you really got any good information & after 8am before TV came to the party.
First information I really got was from geonet.co.nz but then I was lucky & had power & internet. Much of the city didn't.
Emergency Management
Then in the yellow pages it now says drop, cover & hold for an earthquake. Never heard of that drill & for a variety of reasons haven't had yellow pages for several years now, but just received the new one the other day.
From comments though not many if any people, except maybe kids as it is similar to fire drill, are aware of this drill. Many did as I did & went for doorways or under tables & others in particular near the epicentre exited the buildings as they collapsed or felt they were going to collapse(but then didn't they all?). The one thing that all drills say is don't exit during quake. Good on paper, but when you are in one like that, not so straight forward.
It is all well from learning others experience & coming up with new drills, but if no one knows what they mean(it tells you a drill but not the meaning of the words (bloody hold on to what?) they will do as always taught. Poor communication.
Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs
But then communication is one of the things that has been done badly.
For example there has been confusing information over water & sewage in particular the flushing of toilets.
In our area there was one burst water pipe or main that was quickly sorted & for a while there was some issues with pressure but then it was good. So talking to people they thought it was still good to drink & flush their toilet. The information didn't help as it ranged from minimise use of water including flushing to don't flush at all.
It wasn't until 6pm on the news the Mayor of Christchurch clairfied that water even if clear needed to be boiled until the all clear given & no flushing as pumping stations were down as they conducted checks to ensure systems are OK.
Wiley Pathways Emergency Planning
The other big communication issue has been over the aftershock. I have just heard on the radio two people in positions of responsibility down play the word going around that there would be a big after shock in the region of 6 on the richter scale(think it just hit as I wrote that, one nice big jolt).
Obviously they don't listen to the experts who are advising them as that information came from them those experts based on history of earthquakes.
There had been over 50 greater than four on the richter scale by 11.30am since the quake not including one about a minute ago.
Emergency Management: Principles And Practice for Local Goverment
Another is this morning by media watch which first criticized the media for the slow response by media initially as referred to above, but also for the media hyping it up as they do. In fact from photos I have seen on facebook from friends if anything the media under sold it initially.
One issue the media were taken to task over was that of the looting. The Police say this was few incidents but quickly dealt with. But looting was always a strong possiblity & that is born out by the NZ Security Industry at full stretch & many been quickly deployed shortly after the quake in Christchurch even with fact that sales staff from companies on the ground acting as guards as well as those with injuries(from prior to the quake) like myself getting calls(frustrating as you want to help, but now will be doing so after first being not wanted).
Disaster Policy and Politics: Emergency Management and Homeland Security
The looting issue rasies another lesson.
The Mayor of Christchurch asked for help in particular from the army camp(situated nearly on the epicentre) through the government. Been an ex soldier mainly based in a unit in that camp I know that as soon as the initial quake had settled, checks had been carried out the personnel would of been chomping at the bit to do their bit. Too many times have we sat in barracks on standby whilst either the government or more particularly the NZ police/Civil Defence hierachy(not the people(especially police) on the ground as they would appreciate the help) in these sort of situations have decided they want to retain control.
Get the army in as soon as possible. The way they train the infantry units are ready to go within half an hour or less. The training includes Aid to the Civil power where the police can give powers of arrest down to NCO level, but it is all under police control. So you can have two scenarios where either one police officer per platoon (approx 30 soldiers located with HQ) to back up troops on ground or if they are concerned a police officer per section. Cuts the requirement for police manpower. We did it in the 1984 Invercargill floods, but hardly ever since.
Announcing you are pulling a large police contingent from New Zealand's major city to help has just told criminals there it is time to play.
It just needs the police, politicians or Civil Defence to realize what the military bring to these situations.
Exercise Alternatives For Training Emergency Management Command Center Staffs
The good things!
Mayor Bob Parker's handling of things has being good. Like the politicians above them in these situations have to sit back to get information a bit to act but he has also been out there.
Kiwi Rail & Fonterra. First Kiwi Rail because of their reaction straight away. I live opposite a busy rail yard & one of the things that sticks in the mind immediately after the quake was the shunters still working opposite. Only in hindsight they weren't working they were disconnecitng, following protocols & shutting down the whole South Island rail network.
To top that last night a large train (the first to come through since the quake) with what appeard to be passenger coaches in it. What we now know is it was train put together by Fonterra with their special milk carriages & Kiwi Rail to get water up to Christchurch.
Emergency Response Planning for Corporate and Municipal Managers, Second Edition (Butterworth-Heinemann Homeland Security)
The Airforce for getting Police & Politicians in to assist & assess. Also for that comforting sound of an Iroquoi this morning which it transpires was taking the Mayor over the city for an overview of the damage.
New Zealand Building codes. Because New Zealand is cut in half by two continental plates it is prone to earthquakes & to a lesser extent volcanic eruptions & why Australians refer to us as the Shaky Isles. Though Canterbury would be the least likely place most people in NZ would think of for an event like this. So the building codes have over the years been improved & worked on to look at surviveability in large quakes. This quake was similar to Hati's but low population, fact epicentre is in rural areas & good building codes has lessened impact.
The Story of the Good Samaritan
There will be others but one that really stood out is store owner Mr Patel.
On been woken by the quake he went & opened his dairy so people could get water, batteries & other goods(true bit late after the fact for people to do this but it was common) but he gave his water & milk away & only accepted payment for batteries apparently after people insisted but would only accept it would seem at cost price.
Instead of patting themselves on back though there are some who need to look at lessons, not say we did OK no need to change.
The others in particular Mr Patel & those companies that could without waiting to be asked show what people can really do.
There is a lot of good work been done by all, but if people don't come out of this & say we were lucky, things worked well but could be better then we won't of learned anything.
http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz
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