NZFS Independent Review of Christchurch Earthquake

The New Zealand Fire Service has released the independent review of its management of the first 12 hours of its response to the February 2011 earthquake.

The review, carried out by West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service Chief Executive and Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling, found that the scale of event would have 'stretched any fire service in the world.'

The Fire Service reviews all its responses to major incidents to ensure it continually improves its performance. The independent review was commissioned to provide assurance to the new Chief Executive that nothing had been missed in the Fire Service’s own report of its national response following the February earthquake.

“We acknowledge the loss so many people have experienced over the past 20 months. I know that everyone who lost friends and family in the earthquake wants us, and other agencies, to extract all the learning possible from the emergency so that we are better prepared for any future disaster. There are lessons in this report for us and for other agencies,” said Chief Executive & National Commander Paul Baxter.

As with the Fire Service report, the independent review found that firefighters responded professionally, capably and with great courage to the emergency. The independent review concluded that the major fire and rescue sites were ably commanded by experienced and confident senior operational staff despite the extraordinarily hazardous and challenging environment.

The review re-examined the findings of the Fire Service’s report and was supportive of the many changes that have been implemented as a result. The review also looked in more detail at the role played by executive officers (senior managers).

It found that the executive officers who were already in Christchurch, and those deployed to Christchurch within the first 12-24 hours, acted professionally but could have been better organised, integrated and supportive of the operational crews and incident commanders.

Paul Baxter said this reflects the previous report and he accepts that different decisions about incident management could have been made.

“It is clear, that everyone did their best, with the resources they had, in the face of a catastrophic event. I am very proud of our national response and in particular am humbled by the courage of our very experienced frontline officers and crews who did everything possible to save as many lives as they could.”

He accepts the review’s conclusions that the event brought to the surface some tensions between Christchurch managers and staff. “I am addressing these issues and have made significant progress in recent months,” he said.

The President of the Southern Branch of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union, Denis Fitzmaurice has welcomed the review.

"The Simon Pilling report addresses the concerns raised by the Union and its members in Christchurch after the February earthquake.

“The Union is extremely proud of its members, their professionalism, dedication to duty and bravery during this seminal event in our city’s history.

“We acknowledge the changes in personnel at senior management level in Christchurch and the wider region.”

Denis Fitzmaurice said firefighters and the Union were encouraged by the offer to work with the Chief Executive and National Commander Paul Baxter, Regional Manager Trevor Brown, and their new team, in implementing the review’s recommendations both regionally and at a national level,

Trevor Brown said he and Paul Baxter would be working with staff and the union to develop a joint action plan to help put in place the recommendations of the review.
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