Muriwai firefighters Dave van Zwanenberg and Craig Stevens were honoured at a ceremony one year after their deaths during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) has a way to go to deal with severe weather events, says National Commander Russell Wood.
He was responding to an internal operational review of Fenz’s response to last year’s Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle that claimed the lives of two firefighters.
Volunteer firefighters - Craig Stevens and Dave van Zwanenberg - were killed by a landslide in the coastal community of Muriwai on February 13 last year.
The review, released today, found firefighters rescued countless people impacted by the two events while managing other obligations, but there is room for improving its approach to weather-related events.
“The Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle have shown us that climate change will likely increase the incidence and consequence of extreme weather events,” the review found.
At the peak of the Auckland floods on January 27 between 4pm and 9pm, Fenz received 650 calls via the 111 service over one 30-minute period.
Muriwai firefighters Dave van Zwanenberg (left) and Craig Stevens (right) both died in a landslide while helping at a damaged house in Muriwai during Cyclone Gabrielle.
“We had to prioritise attending incidents where lives were threatened, or elderly or unwell people required rescue.
“I am proud of how all our people responded and supported communities, especially given many were personally impacted in some way. We have heard so many stories of how our people acted with the highest levels of skill, ingenuity and empathy, in the most trying circumstances,” said Wood.
“Severe weather response is a new and evolving capability for Fire and Emergency and is not one of our legislated main functions. We acknowledge we have a way to go to ensure we are prepared, trained and equipped.
“In the case of Cyclone Gabrielle this was the first time our organisation had to deal with such a widespread and severe weather event across so many districts and regions, at the same time. Lives were lost, including two of our own. Our sympathy remains with the whānau, friends and communities of those who passed.”
He said severe weather response is a new and evolving capability for Fenz and is not a legislated main function.
He said Fenz is an organisation expert in fighting fires, providing specialist responses such as Urban Search and Rescue, and helping in other emergencies when the call is made.
Fenz Urban Search and Rescue working with structural engineers are assessing red-stickered homes in Titirangi after the devastating floods in Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell
“We have not, until recently, been required to play such a major part in responding to such severe weather events,” said Wood.
“We are committed to making the improvements identified in this operational review so we can continue being there for New Zealanders.”
Work completed for weather events:
Six trained specialist water rescue teams across the country with specialist equipment.
Specially designed personal protective equipment (PPE) for Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams appropriate for severe weather and disaster assistance response teams to work in.
Purchase of personal safety locators and weather-proof tablets loaded with data in real-time for USAR people when working remotely in arduous conditions.
An e-learning package for landslide awareness and management.
Work under way
developing e-learning modules to cover motor vehicle crashes in water emergencies, response driving around flood water, wading rescue skill-sets, and officer oversight of water-based incidents.
working with partner agencies, through the Landslides National Advisory Group, to map and understand the risk posed by landslides to property and life.
Cyclone Gabrielle resulted in widespread flooding in the Wairoa District.
“While many of our frontline people have these skills as individuals, we are now implementing crews of firefighters with all these skills who can then respond to natural disasters or adverse weather events as a team in districts most at risk,” said Wood.
The review also found opportunities for improvement around the planning and administration processes that support Fenz staff during severe weather events.
Retired Assistant National Commander Ian Pickard led the review.
The deaths of Stevens and van Zwanenberg are being investigated separately and were outside the scope of the review.
