If any part of New Zealand could be expected to have a well-honed civil defence system by now it is Christchurch. The earthquakes it suffered before and after the catastrophic shock that hit the city seven years ago tomorrow should have been all the drill any local and national civil defence organisation would need to ensure it could respond to an emergency quickly and effectively and keep displaced people well informed. Yet those qualities were not evident when the Kaikoura earthquake occurred in November and they have been sadly lacking in the Port Hills fire.
Though the Port Hills contain suburbs of Christchurch, the emergency response was in the hands of a rural fire service for the Selwyn District. It was far too late declaring a state of emergency for the liking of Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and far too little information was being provided on the day that people were being advised to evacuate their homes.
Over the weekend, with light rain falling in Canterbury and suburbs no longer in imminent danger, it was the turn of evacuated householders to suffer confusion and frustration as they tried to return to their homes. A professional organisation should be quick to act, sharp in its transmission of information and, just as important, it should not prolong an evacuation longer than is really necessary. A dampened down fire might be capable of flaring up again but if it does, houses can be evacuated again.
The residents of the Port Hills and nearby suburbs readily complied with evacuation advice at short notice last Monday and they would have done so a second time if ordered. But after several days without a change of clothes and anxious about their homes, their comfort became more important than strict principles of procedure. A culture of safety can be taken too far, especially by part-time volunteers who have not been encouraged to use their discretion.
It may be wondered whether a country of New Zealand's size and population is well served by such a fragmented civil defence organisation. Certainly, it is important in emergencies that first responders are on the spot, and that a local co-ordinator knows what relief is immediately available and where to find it. But no part of the country is too far from a more centralised professional service.
