RECOVERY
June 2012 | Issue 2
NEWSLETTER
WELCOME
CORINNE AMBLER EDITOR
Welcome to the second edition of the New Zealand Red Cross Recovery newsletter.
NEW RED CROSS TEAM READY TO RESPOND The New Zealand Red Cross has a new specialist response team that will be one of the most highly-trained and well-equipped in the country.
Titheridge (pictured being treated for blisters) says the lack of sleep was the hardest thing to cope with.
The NDRT, or National Disaster Response Team, is made up of 51 volunteers from both the North and South islands – and will be deployed during disasters both here and overseas.
The triallists were so attuned to react that by the second night when a helicopter flew overhead, many thought it was part of the exercise and leapt out of their sleeping bags.
The team is self-contained, with its own tents, bedding, food and gear, so in an emergency will be fast and cheap to set up. Donations from partner Red Cross societies overseas were used to equip the team, with the aim that Red Cross build resilience and capacity to be better prepared for future disasters. Selection was rigorous, with participants living in tents and surviving on ration packs for three days, while being tested on various rescue tasks, fitness, mental toughness and teamwork. Christchurch team member Craig
“They got us up four times during the night. I’d just finished a shower at 3am and an hour later they got us up again.”
Tasks included setting up an evacuation centre on the other side of a river in the middle of the night, as well as winching people to the ground from a height, building a stretcher winch across a river, and treating car crash victims. Story continued on page 3
In this issue we are proud to showcase our brand new team of disaster response volunteers, and feature a thank you from a Lyttelton businesswoman helped by a Red Cross grant. We also bring you the latest from our national recovery manager’s Winston Churchill Fellowship trip to study lessons from other disasters. And we managed to provide some very timely help for people during last week’s snow. Please think of your friends and family in Canterbury as winter approaches – a small gesture of kindness can make all the difference to those experiencing hardship.
corinne.ambler@redcross.org.nz
IN THIS ISSUE New National Disaster Response Team Words of advice and encouragement from Australian Red Cross Winter Warmer packs for snowbound residents More help for bereaved families
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NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS ELIZABETH MCNAUGHTON - NATIONAL RECOVERY MANAGER From the restaurant owner who took six years to get his business operational, to the tour guide who lost his house and everything in it, and the Red Cross staff who lived together in a hotel for three months – all have fought to bring the city back and today it is a brilliant place to visit, and some say a better place to live. ELIZABETH MCNAUGHTON NATIONAL RECOVERY MANAGER
Over the past three weeks, as part of my Winston Churchill Fellowship trip, I have been privileged to meet some incredible people working on different aspects of recovery. It has been inspiring for me to see places crippled by disaster once again flourishing. New Orleans is now seven years into its recovery, a journey that has been a triumph of the human spirit, and the people I have met are proud of what they have accomplished and so they should be.
GUEST COLUMN
KATE BRADY NATIONAL RECOVERY COORDINATOR – AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS
Hello Kiwis! In 2009 I was the coordinator for the Red Cross Victorian bushfire recovery team, and I still see the effects of emergencies on many people today. Three years on many in Victoria are still dealing with the effects of those fires, While it’s often said as a throw-away line, recovery from an emergency can take a really long time. You need to think about recovery as
The central principle of recovery work is the same the world over - people, ideas and wisdom. So why don’t we seem to learn the lessons from other events? I think we become bogged down in the immediate - the drama of issue after issue, and the overwhelming nature of the tasks at hand. Listening and consulting with people takes time, making new ideas work takes time, collecting the wisdom of those who have travelled the road before us takes time – time we often don’t have because the needs (and expectations) of people post-disaster are immediate.
in leadership but one that can be supported by a million small moraleboosting actions. Simple things such as ringing your aunt and uncle in Christchurch more often, getting on a plane and visiting, buying goods that support Christchurch businesses, sending a winter wellness package to friends, joining our Red Cross outreach volunteers – a million small messages of encouragement will go a long way towards strengthening morale this winter. They say it takes a village to raise a child – I say it takes a nation to rebuild a city and its people. If you would like to read more about my Churchill fellowship experiences please see my blog at: http:// nzredcrossrecovery.wordpress.com
It is a fine balancing act for those
Elizabeth McNaughton
being a marathon not a sprint, and pace yourself accordingly. It’s complicated, exhausting, and at times can feel like it’s not going to end. Hang in there!
¡¡ Give a friend you’ve been meaning to
For many people, the second year following an emergency is characterised by a feeling of fatigue and the effects of prolonged stress, which can lead to disturbed sleeping and eating patterns, and feeling distant, agitated and upset without really knowing why.
a week. Even going for a walk is a good thing.
The adrenaline and cortisol that give us crucial survival skills during an emergency can have negative longerterm effects on our bodies. If there is one message I cannot get across strongly enough it’s to take the time to look after yourself. Even with so much to think about and do, your health and relationships need to be your priorities. Here are a few things that can help you cope. ¡¡ Go and see your GP and have a
check up – sometimes we get so used to the effects of stress we don’t notice when we’re feeling unwell.
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get in contact with a call.
¡¡ Do something you enjoy. ¡¡ Try and do some exercise 3 times
¡¡ Have an honest look at how much
sleep you’re getting and what you’re eating.
¡¡ Using drugs and alcohol to help you
cope isn’t going to help your health or relationships in the long run.
I have visited Canterbury three times this year and have been impressed at your ability to keep going in the face of such confronting impacts on a daily basis. I was really excited to see the cool things going on in your city – projects like Gap Filler are excellent examples of how the rest of the world can learn from your experience. I look forward to coming back to see how you’re getting along – you’re not alone in this, we’re all still thinking of you! Cheers, Kate
RECOVERY NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 PROGRAMMES
IN BRIEF
¡ L to R: Lisa Collins, Jamie Collins, and Missy Sonnenberg of Bishopdale receiving their Winter Warmer packs.
WINTER WARMERS ARRIVE JUST IN TIME When Jen Sonnenberg’s house burnt down 14 years ago, she lost everything. It was then that she had her first dealings with New Zealand Red Cross – who provided blankets and towels for her homeless family. But she never thought she’d need them again.
have done – more than you could ever know.” Another who had an unexpected windfall was 88-year-old Dorothy Meiklejohn of Aranui. She was struggling with the cold and requested some blankets, but says the parcel will come in handy. “We thought it was pretty neat.”
BEREAVED FAMILIES The New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Commission has approved another grant for the families of those killed in the Canterbury earthquakes. The 186 bereaved families will receive another $10,000 following an initial payment of $10,000 in March 2011. Commission head Sir John Hansen says many of those who donated to the Earthquake Appeal wanted their money used in this way, and feedback indicates many families are still struggling financially, especially those left as the sole parent.
During last week’s cold snap and heavy snowfall in Christchurch the freezing family called on Red Cross again – this time for blankets.
Each box contains a snuggle sack, Red Cross blanket, hot water bottle, thermos mug, beanie, gloves, Red Cross torch radio, Milo and soup.
To Jen’s delight, and that of the children (pictured) Red Cross staff turned up with not only blankets, but Winter Warmer packs as well.
Staff say it was difficult reaching the needy households through the snow but worth the effort to know they’d helped keep someone warm.
“It is nice to know there are people out there like Red Cross who step up and help. So, so grateful for all you
Red Cross has produced 500 Winter Warmer packs which it will distribute right across the Canterbury region.
NEW RED CROSS TEAM READY TO RESPOND
were among the first to get to the crushed buses on Colombo Street.
complete strangers into his own home.
“I lost 3 ½ kilos,” says Craig.
He helped pull three people out, only one of whom survived, then went through the city, freeing people from buildings. In the days that followed, in a borrowed fourwheel-drive, he distributed food and water to those in need, and took
The experience inspired him to join Red Cross.
continued from page 1
“I’m stoked I got in, it was my goal from the beginning. I’m not afraid of anything – I’ve seen the worst.” He’s referring to February 22, when he and his car workshop co-workers
The 23 people most seriously injured in the earthquakes have also received 2 payments, totalling around $20,000.
Craig and his NDRT colleagues are capable of providing pre-hospital care and USAR support, and will be deployed when local response teams need support.
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NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS RECOVERY NEWSLETTER JUNE 2012 GRANTS
STAFF PROFILE
Robin now runs part of her business from the local medical centre and has started working through her insurance claim, but a battle with her insurer meant she needed professional advice. Through Recover Canterbury, Robin accessed the Independent Advice for Small Business grant. The Red Cross grant enabled her to hire a lawyer to clarify her insurance situation. “I now have the confidence and knowledge to continue fighting for what I know I am entitled to. It’s been a lifesaver.”
HELPING THE COMMUNITY ONE SMALL BUSINESS AT A TIME Robin Kerr has had it rough. She’s living in a badly damaged home, her business premise is in ruins and she’s fighting a battle with her insurer. But thanks to the support of organisations like the Red Cross she’s managing to keep her head above water. “I’m paying my taxes, I’m managing to keep up the mortgage payments and we’re scraping through, but that’s only due to the support from organisations such as the Red Cross, the Mayoral Fund and Recover Canterbury,” says Robin. Robin is the owner of The Stables, a holistic wellness centre based in Lyttelton. In June 2011 her business premise, which she owns, was closed due to ongoing earthquake damage. “I had a thriving business that was fully self-sufficient and was growing but the earthquake blew it all apart.” The earthquake also had a major impact on the family’s home life, with their house so badly damaged that the children are still sleeping in the lounge.
The Independent Advice for Small Business grant is available to small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and provides up to $750 to cover legal, accounting, or building inspection costs. Recover Canterbury Communications Manager Pip Tschudin says the grant has been a tremendous help to Christchurch’s community of small businesses. “Small businesses are made up of mums, dads, neighbours, friends – they are the lifeblood of our community. “When a small business struggles, its community struggles too, and that’s why the kind of support the Red Cross offers is so vital as it’s helping get these businesses, and their communities, back on their feet,” says Mrs Tschudin. Several Red Cross Earthquake Commission grants are still open, including Winter Assistance, Storage, Independent Advice, and Disability. For more information or to apply please call 0800 754 726 or go to www.redcross.org.nz
KEY STATISTICS
68
$
million handed out in grants
77,308 people received grants so far
781
outreach visits
JOLIE WILLS Jolie is the recovery team’s outreach and community support advisor, based in Christchurch. Her role involves developing initiatives to support psychological and social (psychosocial) recovery following the earthquakes, which is as important as physical recovery. Jolie also oversees the training and development of the Red Cross outreach volunteers, equipping them with the skills to care for themselves and support others. Jolie says one of the most rewarding aspects of her role is identifying those who are missing out on support, leading recently to a new grant to support people with disabilities. She is also humbled to be supporting those who lost loved ones during the February 2011 earthquake. Initiatives to date include hosting monthly support groups, helping introduce the second bereavement grant, and coordinating support for families during the upcoming CTV commission hearing.
CONTACT NATIONAL OFFICE
1,789 17,204 door knocks
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torch radios handed out
PO Box 12140, Wellington 69 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6144 Phone: 04 471 8250 Email: national@redcross.org.nz Website: www.redcross.org.nz