5 minute read
Working in a MIQF
Navy in the nation’s fight against the global pandemic
With 32 Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities (MIQFs) to administer and 12 ports to monitor, the New Zealand Defence Force regularly rotates between 900 and 1,200 personnel throughout New Zealand as part of the All of Government response to COVID-19.
For Devonport Naval Base, this means providing personnel for the 18 hotels used for MIQFs across Auckland, as well as assisting NZ Customs at Auckland and Whangarei ports. The base’s involvement came early. In February its training facility at Whangaparaoa Peninsula – Tamaki Leadership Centre – became New Zealand’s first quarantine facility in modern times, welcoming 157 returnees from Wuhan, China, followed by a smaller number of returnees from cruise ship Diamond Princess. Following the closure of New Zealand’s borders in March, the Navy base has steadily supported the staffing of MIQFs in Auckland. Personnel are assigned for tasking, working one week on and one week off. Their roles are administrative, handling queries and issues, coordinating guest requirements and supervising All of Government evolutions. Alongside them are nurses, District Health Board staff, security, NZ Police, hotel staff and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Ministry of Health (MoH) representatives. Chief Petty Officer Weapon Technician Greg Bishell has been involved in the Auckland MIQFs since April, being among the first Navy personnel to help establish, administer and ultimately manage them. CPOWT Bishell worked hard alongside Warrant Officer Weapon Technician Keri Weeks to maintain his vision, to establish a fitfor-purpose structure to help eliminate the spread of COVID-19 whilst maintaining the health, safety and wellbeing of guests and staff. There’s a lot to deal with, but he says the week on, week off routine means he gets to “help my country, serve the Navy, and get plenty of quality time with my family. I’m happy wearing PPE and maintaining distancing. It’s all about personal responsibility, following the MoH guidelines and protocols at the end of the day”. His experience later led him to help set up the MIQFs at the Holiday Inn and Grand Millennium in Auckland. Additionally he had the opportunity to act as 2IC in a Regional Isolation and Quarantine Command Centre. “With increased people coming into the country, we needed more beds. We did some big days in there.”
His latest management responsibility is at the Sudima Hotel where he is rostered alongside his Technical Career Managers Chief Petty Officer Electronic Technician Matthew Scott and Chief Petty Officer Marine Technician (Propulsion) Mathew Sara. CPOWT Bishell further injects his experiences at MIQF Professional Development Training for the sustainment of Operation Protect. The Navy is well placed for this task and CPOWT Bishell draws on similar experiences. “On ships, we’re confined to limited spaces for a long periods of time.” He acknowledges that, for a sailor, operating in a hotel environment for seven days is more comfortable than working on a ship, but it’s still a small space with very little freedom. “We go away on deployment a lot, and leave our families. I’ve spent approximately 3,500 days at sea. We can relate to what returnees are going through. Sailors have techniques for coping with separation anxiety and stress, we have courageous conversations and apply a lot of humour, We know what to expect, and we can front-foot returnees' expectations and concerns. We tell them about life in the Navy, and we can talk them through what it’s going to be like in the hotel. Showing a bit of empathy toward returnees in hotels goes a long way.” He says perhaps 85 per cent of people cope fine, while the remainder need guidance and support. He’s glad he can help returning citizens and residents. “We all signed on the dotted line to help our country,” he says. “It’s a very busy job, but if you care about people, it’s easy.” It is not a rank-specific tasking; you need to have empathy and be a personable person. “It’s something a sailor picks up naturally, meeting and understanding different cultures and diversities around the world. You’ve seen a lot.” CPOWT Bishell says he had to dust off a lot of leadership framework tools learnt in the Navy. “It’s all transferable to the civilian sector and applicable when working in a MIQF.”
RNZN CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR
Andrew Charnley
Distribution Centre Manager for Defence Logistics Command (Maritime)
The Civilian of the Year for 2020 is Andrew Charnley, the Distribution Centre Manager for Defence Logistics Command (Maritime).
It’s a role Mr Charnley, a former sailor, took up in January 2019. He is responsible for managing the operational aspects of the Naval Supply Depot (NSD) warehouse in support of NZDF operations, with a primary focus on the maritime domain. In his citation, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor says since starting this role, Mr Charnley has worked tirelessly to create an inclusive and collaborative workplace in which all team members understand their value and how they contribute to the outputs of the unit and the wider Navy. “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, Mr Charnley immediately volunteered to be the senior person working within NSD. Following the rapid shift in Alert Levels, he quickly introduced key initiatives which safeguarded personnel and the wider NSD staff bubble. He displayed outstanding courage, integrity and leadership in making decisions which were integral to the Defence Logistics Command (Maritime)’s ability to continue to support the Fleet, ensuring both the Government’s intent and the Maritime Component Commander’s priorities were adhered to.
“Mr Charnley has an enthusiasm and drive that has proven to be vital throughout 2020, and not just in the face of COVID-19. He continually motivates his team to relentlessly pursue business improvement initiatives, while providing nothing short of excellence in support to his customers.”
