Members New Zealand Response Team 16 during a training exercise.
Members New Zealand Response Team 16 during a training exercise.
It’s not every day that a journalist finds themselves dangling from the height of a one-storey building, but that’s exactly what happened when Sunlive journalist Tom Eley roleplayed a rescue victim at a training event for the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Response Team.
As journalists, we’re trained to observe,not participate.
We ask questions, record details, and do our best to stay out of the frame.
The story isn’t about us - it’s about the people, the places, the facts.
We’re meant to bring readers close to the action without ever stepping into it ourselves.
But sometimes, to truly understand what a story means - to feel the stakes, the pressure, the trust - you have to break that rule.
That’s how I found myself strapped into a stretcher, dangling roughly at the height of a one-storey building in the air, completely in the hands of Bay of Plenty’s New Zealand Response Team 16 (NZRT16).
Once harnessed in, I surrendered control. My safety - and my perspective - now belonged to them.
Members of NZRT16 get ready on the ladder as the stretcher is lowered to the ground.
Led by Shaun Thomson, the team meticulously checked every strap, ensuring that - just like in a real rescue - everything was secure and safety was paramount.
Lying flat, helmeted, and with my vision narrowed, I listened to the surreal soundtrack of carabiners clicking and ropes tightening.
I didn’t want to write this piece from a distance.
If I was going to report on what these volunteers do, I felt I had to trust them the same way a real victim would. For me, this story was about perspective and respect.
With calm precision, the team lowered the stretcher into mid-air. What I felt was a strange, humbling mix of vulnerability and trust.
It’s one thing to report on rescue operations.
It’s a completely different thing to be the person being rescued, relying on a team of strangers, focused and communicating with clarity and care.
That’s when you realise just how vital every small movement, every knot, every double-check really is.
As they prepared me for the descent, the atmosphere was calm but intense.
The clinking of carabiners, the quiet calls of confirmation, the rehearsed, methodical co-ordination - it all spoke volumes about the team’s discipline.
The experience left a lasting impression. From the outside, it might look like a routine operation, but up close, it’s clear how much discipline and co-ordination are required.
Once safely back on the ground, I joined the team for a debrief, gaining further insight into how even a training operation demands total concentration.
NZRT16 trains every Thursday, focusing on a different element of rescue or emergency preparedness.
The team comprises 17 volunteers, each bringing a diverse range of skills and experience in emergency services and search and rescue operations. However, they are actively seeking eight more members.
“We would like a team of 25,” Thomson said. “It does not mean we will take [anybody] if we have 10 people come through the door.”
He said the role is not for everyone – resilience and the ability to remain calm under pressure are essential.
A range of volunteer roles are available, including support positions, though the team is primarily seeking operational members. Fitting in with the group is important too, as the team works closely together.
As of 2024, there are 16 nationally accredited response teams in New Zealand, with 424 volunteers ready to be deployed during storms, floods or when requested by councils, according to the Civil Defence website.
NZRT16 members have previously deployed to Auckland during flooding and supported efforts following the Christchurch earthquakes.
Rather than waiting to respond, the team prefers to act early, door-knocking in communities they believe could be at risk of storm damage or flooding.
NZRT16 operates under the management of Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and works in co-ordination with New Zealand Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Bruce Rutherford, senior advisor at Emergency Management Bay of Plenty, said people couldn’t just call 111 to reach Civil Defence.
