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Post by ErrolC on Nov 26, 2016 5:42:58 GMT 12
A GNS scientist's blog
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Post by frankly on Nov 26, 2016 8:07:04 GMT 12
As a retired CDEM Officer, I believe the issues with the organisation are that there is a lack of commitment from the political arena to adequately resource the organisation at all levels. The links between each level are frequently ambiguous, poorly planned and often heavily reliant on goodwill of the volunteers who are the coalface. More full time staff at all levels, clear statements of responsibility and a willingness to work together would go a long way to make a complicated system work in times of high stress. The problem is that their isn't just one organisation. the CDEM structure around NZ largely relies on people without day to day operational experience, no permanent assets and a very limited budget. Setting up an agency that combines policy and operations with some day to day emergency management responsibility would be a good place to start. There's a reason the MCDEM approach is unique to New Zealand....what do we know that no one else does? SaveSave
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Post by skyhawkdon on Nov 26, 2016 8:13:33 GMT 12
As a retired CDEM Officer, I believe the issues with the organisation are that there is a lack of commitment from the political arena to adequately resource the organisation at all levels. The links between each level are frequently ambiguous, poorly planned and often heavily reliant on goodwill of the volunteers who are the coalface. More full time staff at all levels, clear statements of responsibility and a willingness to work together would go a long way to make a complicated system work in times of high stress. I couldn't agree more. The lack of funding for CDEM and their regional groups is the root cause of all of their problems. The small number of paid regional CDEM staff do a wonderful job with the pathetic resources they are given (no different to Defence!). At one of the lifelines meetings I was at this week we were told there is no funding for our group and we were asked to all contribute money from our own organisations to enable it to go forward. I was gobsmacked by that. It almost felt like we would have to run a few raffles to raise the funds we need to continue! Central Government need to sort this out and quickly. So long as it is left up to the regional councils to run and fund it will always be inconstantly run and dysfunctional.
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Post by ErrolC on Nov 27, 2016 17:15:21 GMT 12
Radio NZ... Should I go live in the middle of an empty field? It might all feel a bit scary, all this uncertainty and waiting for aftershocks, but it is good to remember than earthquakes are only one small bit of risk in our lives. Three hundred people die every year on the road, but we don't usually get too scared hopping into the car. We might be good drivers but there are some terrible ones too. Earthquakes are a bit like terrible drivers: they could be around the next corner, or we could be lucky enough not to encounter one. Remember that undamaged buildings don't make good TV, and boring serious facts aren't good clickbait, so media coverage is also going to be a bit skewed towards the "scary". Unfortunately, we aren't able to stop earthquakes, or even predict them yet, so we just have to try and live with them Nicki Vance grew up in Wellington, studied civil engineering at Canterbury University and has been back in Wellington working as a structural engineer at Dunning Thornton since 2011. Sent from my E6653 using proboards
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Post by isc on Nov 27, 2016 20:20:18 GMT 12
Living in Darfield I'v had more damage to the house in north west gales, and snow. Lost half the concrete tile roof in one gale, and lost the spouting in a snow storm. 10kg of mortar fixed fixed all the damage to the brick work of the house 5 years ago. isc
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Post by camtech on Nov 27, 2016 20:28:57 GMT 12
As a retired CDEM Officer, I believe the issues with the organisation are that there is a lack of commitment from the political arena to adequately resource the organisation at all levels. The links between each level are frequently ambiguous, poorly planned and often heavily reliant on goodwill of the volunteers who are the coalface. More full time staff at all levels, clear statements of responsibility and a willingness to work together would go a long way to make a complicated system work in times of high stress. I couldn't agree more. The lack of funding for CDEM and their regional groups is the root cause of all of their problems. The small number of paid regional CDEM staff do a wonderful job with the pathetic resources they are given (no different to Defence!). At one of the lifelines meetings I was at this week we were told there is no funding for our group and we were asked to all contribute money from our own organisations to enable it to go forward. I was gobsmacked by that. It almost felt like we would have to run a few raffles to raise the funds we need to continue! Central Government need to sort this out and quickly. So long as it is left up to the regional councils to run and fund it will always be inconstantly run and dysfunctional. You have hit the nail on the head, Don. Our lifelines group had to contribute running costs and pay their own way. The lack of funding at all levels makes the overall organisation flimsy and heavily reliant on goodwill. Even the approval of local Emergency Response plans is left to Regional Councils and a review by the ministry. When I first came on the scene, the ministry had offices in Auckland, Palmerston North, Christchurch as well as head off ice. Professional staff were readily available to advise, assist with training, work along side us and other organisations for planning and exercises. That has evolved to Regional Councils, who do not generally have the staff, resources and/or experience to support the local response. Many New Zealanders still believe that Civil Defence is staffed by an army of professionals, sitting around waiting to respond to local emergencies. Many local authorities do not maintain a response team as such, and those that have, do so with volunteers. There was hope that the review of the Fire Service may have included something that would assist Civil Defence, similar to the State Emergency Services in Australia. The USA is not much better, but have much easier access to the National Guard and military. The UK is similar. Singapore and some other Asian countries have full time organisations able to respond, again, closely supported by the military. Effective, consistent and achievable planning, with adequate resourcing at all levels, and clear statements of the roles of organisations and individuals was the intent of the most recent legislation, but it still has a long way to go to actually work in practice. However, the vast majority of those who work and volunteer in the sector are dedicated and valued people and I have the greatest respect for most.
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Post by Mustang51 on Nov 30, 2016 11:47:43 GMT 12
Folks, you read it here first on the Wings forum on November 18. Pete Hallen advises me just now that our RAN LADS Dash 8 is flying to Christchurch today to provide hydrographic survey assistance in the wake of the earthquake. Very good move in my view and good work to whomever in Defence thought of it !
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 30, 2016 13:15:00 GMT 12
I hope our Govt doesn't look at the Dash 8 and start to get ideas... No. 5 Squadron needs a proper replacement aircraft, not an airliner
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Post by Mustang51 on Nov 30, 2016 15:37:17 GMT 12
Don't worry...... if you get the chance to look inside there are only a few seats and a bloody great crate looking thingy in the middle of the fuse containing the lasers.
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Post by mumbles on Nov 30, 2016 15:52:24 GMT 12
There seem to be a lot of people who are confused about what an earthquake proofed building is too. It just means that the building survives well enough for people to get out safely after a major shake. It does not mean that the building is necessarily habitable or safe afterwards. By that measure, ALL Wellington buildings did well. This. The buildings did not collapse during the event and allowed their occupants to escape, which is the point. I don't think there is any complacency in Wellington at all, not as far as the long term inhabitants are concerned. For me and many, many other Wellingtonians Christchurch was a surprise, in that we have all grown up expecting the big one to be in Wellington. Wellington has been aware of the possibility since 1855. Every significant earthquake everyone I know here spends the first few seconds wondering if "this is it", and we have done for decades. And as for inferring that somehow Wellington shouldn't have been so badly affected because the quake was centred '229km away from downtown Wellington', you might want to ask people who were here during the quake what that was like. I live even further away (up the coast) and it felt like the house was going to tear itself apart. Our house is of a wooden structure so it could flex - and it did so to a frankly terrifying degree during the quake. We've ended up with nothing worse than a large crack in one interior wall, but it was no surprise at all that large buildings were affected. Agreed. I live there and it was the worst I have felt in 30+ years. The ground under my place is somewhat isolated from shakes so we didn't feel the worst of it even. This clip is from Lower Hutt a few K's from my place. I haven't delved too much into it but apparently there was some focussing of the earthquake energy up and down the country rather than simply radiating out. Absolute distance from the epicentre isn't a good indicator of how much shaking occurred. www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/86686301/lower-hutt-offices-cctv-video-shows-intensity-of-78-magnitude-earthquake
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Post by mumbles on Nov 30, 2016 15:57:46 GMT 12
The car park building, I heard the Stats building is likely, and now this mall is said to be about to collapse. That mall is my "local" (for better or worse, I avoid it when I can) and only part of the mall carpark and a cinema complex on top of that part are to be demolished. Not the entire thing, which has mostly reopened. The biggest inconvenience apart from the job losses is finding somewhere to see Star Wars in a couple of weeks.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 30, 2016 16:01:53 GMT 12
It'll be online by Christmas
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Post by ErrolC on Nov 30, 2016 20:27:30 GMT 12
Folks, you read it here first on the Wings forum on November 18. Pete Hallen advises me just now that our RAN LADS Dash 8 is flying to Christchurch today to provide hydrographic survey assistance in the wake of the earthquake. Very good move in my view and good work to whomever in Defence thought of it ! Surveillance Australia Dash 8-202Q VH-LCL mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2016/11/surveillance-australia-dash-8-202q-vh.html
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Post by ErrolC on Dec 1, 2016 20:53:30 GMT 12
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