A short history and key points about civil defence emergency management in New Zealand by Steve Glassey, Public Safety Researcher.

1. EM101
Introduction to Emergency
Management In New Zealand
By Steve Glassey MEmergMgt CEM®
 steve@publicsafety.institute

2. • History and evolution of emergency management
• National Framework
• Emergency Management Law
• Comprehensive Emergency Management
• All hazards approach
• What does the future hold
• Opportunities for students
• Wise words from Mickey Mouse
Scope

4. • 1931 Napier earthquake
• 1932 Public Safety Conservation Act
• 1936 Emergency Precautions Scheme
– Vote £1,000
– Internal Affairs, Police, Defence
– Three key threats to national safety?
– EPS training: drill, fire-fighting, first aid.
– Bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1942 effect on EPS
– Largely disbanded in 1943 after the WWII ended
– Central government control emphasis
The Napier quake and WWII

5. • Early 1950’s Nuclear threat increased
• 1953 Local Authority Emergency Powers Act
– Local Government control emphasis
– No Central Government financial assistance
– Powers for rescue, welfare, first aid and debris clearance
– Control emphasis conflict unresolved
– Response focused, no precautionary/preparedness
– 1954 Government Action in a Major Emergency (GAME)
– Post Office responsible for informing government of a
disaster
Bracing for nuclear war
More reading at http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/history.html

6. • April 1959 Ministry of Civil Defence formed
• Responsible at that time to Minister of Defence
• Nuclear threat focused
• Single Civil Defence Officer, no full time director
• 1960 Minister reinforced publicly nuclear focus
• No legislative authority, so what was needed...
• 1962 Civil Defence Act
– National state of emergency could be declared
– Local authorities responsible for implementation
– Press excluded from National CD Committee
– Regional Commissioners and Planning Committees
Ministry of Civil Defence

7. • 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty takes effect
• 1964
– “I am not suggesting that planning against the consequences of
nuclear disaster should be ignored, but first let us bend our
energies to preparing against the known forms of natural
disaster....” Hon. D. Seath. Minister Civil Defence.
– Ombudsman Inquiry into Ministry of Civil Defence
– Brigadier Queree appointed as first full-time permanent
Director of Civil Defence.
The pendulum starts to swing

8. • 1979 Abbotsford Landslip
– Commission of Inquiry
• 1983 Civil Defence Act
– To accommodate local government reforms
• Role of United Councils and Regional Councils
– Significant response powers
– Recovery phase recognised
– Still many “Civil Defence Officers” were retired military officers,
working part-time on their pension.
Consolidation and Recovery

9. • 1987 Edgecombe earthquake
– Commission of Inquiry
• 1988 Cyclone Bola
• 1990 First female Minister of Civil Defence
• 1990-2002
– A decade of calm, social memory fades, apathy grows, who cares?!
– Only small scale declared emergencies
• Largest evacuation during this period only approximately 600 (Te Anau Flood, 1994)
• Only one civil defence fatality in this period (Waikanae Flood, 1998)
Double tap and deafening
silence
http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/memwebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/For-the-CDEM-Sector-Emergency-declarations-
Index?OpenDocument

10. • John Norton, Director
– First civilian director
– Earthquake Engineer
• 2002 Civil Defence Emergency Management Act
– Risk based approach
– Comprehensive approach
– All hazards approach
– Long term sustainable recovery
– Regional “CDEM Groups” formed
Norton’s Era
A visionary for resilience

11. Norton’s Dispersed Accountability Model
The forgotten philosophy

12. MoCD
Region
Local Local
Region
Local Local
Region
Local
Local Region
Local
Local
MCDEM
Civil Defence Act 1983 Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002

13. Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002
• Does not affect other acts (s.6)
• CDEM Group Plans (s.48)
• Persons to authorise local state of emergency (s.25)
• Appointment of Controllers (s.26-25)
• Emergency Powers (s.85-92)
– Works
– Rescue (of people)
– Emergency disposal (people and animals)
– Evacuation (of people)
– Closure of public places and roads
– Give directions
– Requisition (for protection of human life)
– Inspections (including seizure or destruction of animals)

14. Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002
CDEM Act 2002 continued
• Identification (s.93)
• Personation (s.103)
• Obstruction (s.98)
• Compensation – requisitioned property (s.107)
• Compensation – personal property damage (s.108)
• Protection from damage liability (s.110)
• Employment protection (s.112)
CDEM Regulations 2003
• Use of logo
• Prescribed forms

15. emergency management defined
Emergency management is the managerial
function charged with creating the
framework within which communities
reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope
with disasters.
FEMA & IAEM, 2007

16. 4Rs
Comprehensive Emergency Management
Is the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other
than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to
mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and
disasters, and to aid victims suffering from injury or damage, resulting from
disasters caused by all hazards, whether natural, technological, or human
caused, and to provide support for search and rescue operations for
persons and property in distress.
Reduction  Readiness  Response  Recovery

20. final advice inspired by m. mouse
“Emergency management is really about building
relationships, whether you are in the public or private
sector. And in building those relationships, it is
important to remember not to tell, but to talk.”
Edward Gabriel
Director of Crisis Management
Walt Disney Corp
Cited in AHRQ, Mass Medical Care, 2007

21. Follow me on linkedin for articles and
updates.
Steve Glassey MEmergMgt CEM®
 steve@publicsafety.institute