Sept 21st & 22nd with NZRT7 in Wellington 2024
Great training session with Victoria Rescue Team (NZRT7) at the weekend, as we prepare for the big North Island exercise (4th – 6th October).
Joint session with Wellington Emergency Response Team (NZRT8) this Saturday. Great work from both teams!
Life Flight visit, August 12th
For last night’s session our crew went into Wellington to be taken through the Westpac Life Flight helicopter and fixed wing plane.
This is really worth while for our members to have a good look around, learn about working safely around an aircraft and ask questions on how we can be of assistance at an accident.
A huge thanks to Life Flight Wellington for making this possible, and for all of your life-saving actions every day.
Rescue in the Rubble, Hutt Valley, July 22nd
The team met in the rain at the Whakatikei rocks, near the Hutt River. We practiced the line and hail search technique, methodically covering the rocks and crevices metre by metre.
We located a casualty (one of the team members) and extracted him quickly.
More ladder practice, Tawa, July 1st 2024
A good turnout of team members met at our Tawa base for some more ladder hinge practice.
This time we worked indoors (and avoided the horrible weather outside).
Using the ladder hinge, we rescued our casualty (mannequin ‘Manuel’) from the upper floor and brought him safely down to the ground floor.
Water rescue practice, Hutt River with NZRT7
Saturday 6th July – some of our team joined with NZRT7 and ventured into the Hutt River, to practice our swift water rescue skills, necessary for assisting in flood conditions.
Sunday 7th – NZRT7 the rescue team from Victoria, Wellington, plus a few of our team, set up a trash pump to quickly move water containing debris. Another necessary skill to assist in a natural disaster.
To see more about our recent training exercises; follow us on Facebook.
Ladder hinge and slide exercise, Tawa
Monday 24th June at our depot in Tawa.
We dusted off the ladders and set them out ready to practice our ladder rescue techniques.
Essential skills to have especially when getting causalities out of those hard-to-reach spaces.
Exercise Whakarauora Tangata at Paraparaumu
Saturday June 8th – NZ Police, Wellington Free Ambulance, FENZ, Coast Guard NZ, Surf Life Saving, Land SAR and NZRT8 came together for Exercise Whakarauora Tangata.
The scenario: – a cruise ship with 256 people on board, was on fire, just north of Kapiti Island. 30 live role players and 5 deceased (mannequins). 3 life rafts had been spotted, 2 nearing Paraparaumu Beach and one near Kapiti Island.
The aim of the exercise was to rehearse the real time skills, procedures and processes for the district level Incident Management Team (IMT) and test the efficacy of existing or new plans. To rehearse a coordinated command, control and communication structure across the teams to ensure the passengers and crew were safely evacuated and treated promptly.
We simulated passengers being evacuated by helicopter and life raft. Passengers already in the water were collected by the Coast Guard and Surf Life savers in IRBs.
Casualties were triaged at Kapiti Boat Club, treated and transported to Hospital as required.
The event concluded just before mid-day and the teams and casualties enjoyed a debrief over a BBQ lunch.
No photos available.
Rescue Mission in a Nature Reserve May 20th
The scenario for the evening was a magnitude 8.3 earthquake in Wellington. The task assigned to the team was to rescue casualties from a locked building in a remote bush setting.
Accessed was gained to the upper floor using the fire escape.
Casualties were located, first aid given, and then they were brought out to safety.
It was a good opportunity to use the skills we had practiced earlier this year.
Interested in joining the team? Click the button below.
Storm response training, Wellington
May 6th we met at the site of 2 neighbouring empty houses in Wilton. We practiced safely accessing a roof, which was made difficult by overhanging trees.
Using ropes and harnesses, team members ascended the ladders and climbed onto the roof.
Carefully moving around on the roof, keeping 3 points of contact at all times, we secured loose corrugated iron with ropes and placed a tarpaulin over the roof to keep the house watertight.
We used our mannequin “Manuel” as a patient and brought him safely down off the roof.
Ladders and Lowers in Wellington
April 29th we were back at the empty flats in Berhampore for some more hands-on training.
Tom and Phil instructed us on the safe use of ladders and techniques for lowering team members, stretchers and equipment.
The building is in a state or disrepair, so the scenario was fairly realistic.
To see more about our recent training exercises; follow us on Facebook.
Demolition training in Wellington
Monday April 15th, we met at a disused block of flats in Berhampore to learn the art of demolition (with the owner’s permission of course).
Demolition is a necessary skill we would need in the event of deployment to a building that we need to enter but the usual entry points are blocked.
We learnt how to safely assess the situation before cutting into walls to create an opening big enough to evacuate someone through.
We got to have a play with all our demolition equipment, and still left most of the building intact.
Joint training exercise with FENZ and NZRT7
Our team (NZRT8) met with NZRT7 from Victoria University and Wellington Operational Support at Kilbirnie fire station on Monday 8th April.
Mixed crews worked together across four areas set up on the night, in order to build awareness of each group’s capabilities. Three of the bases focused on technical skills: using ladders and cordons, setting up lighting and a casualty collection point.
The fourth base provided a place for crews to rest, socialise, and familiarise themselves with the vehicles.
We closed with a debriefing and an agreement to do another joint training exercise.
Flood management exercise in Tawa
We started the evening of 25th March 2024 at our Tawa depot, learning how to fill sandbags. We practised using both sandbags and tarpaulins for building a watertight wall. We then headed to Willow Park Reserve where we used the Porirua stream for our exercise.
Under the beam of floodlights and headlamps. We broke into 2 groups.
The first group set up a trash pump which quickly moves large volumes of water which may contain small bits of debris/trash. We also practised using a submersible pump and generator.
The 2nd group practiced safely crossing deep murky water using stakes to probe for hazards, walking in formation, arms linked for maximum safety.
To keep up to date with our latest training exercises and deployments; follow us on Facebook.
Practising patient hand-over exercise
March 4th, the team met to practice patient hand-over. Two of our team, who are Wellington Free Ambulance staff (in green and blue) were there with an ambulance to receive our ‘patients’.
Volunteers from our team were the patients for the evening.
The team practiced giving a verbal hand-over, which needs to be accurate, concise and up to date, including any treatment or medicine given. Changes in the patient’s condition observed since arrival on scene, were also given to the ambulance staff, plus a written note of vital signs (heart rate, respiration rate and pain level) which had been recorded periodically since first assessment.
We also practiced how to safely transfer the patient into the ambulance.
Life Flight open day March 2024
Sunday the 10th saw the team in Kilbirnie, Wellington, to participate in the Life Flight open day.
All the emergency services were represented. The youngsters enjoyed climbing the ladder. Safety first – Richard fastens the helmet on a keen participant.
Hauling the stretcher up on ropes was a popular activity too.
Open days like this are a great opportunity to meet the public and show them who we are and what we do. NZRT8 are being deployed more often now as global warming brings storms flooding and gale force winds more frequently.
Is this something you want to be a part of? Click the button below to apply.
‘Long Walk Home’ March 1st 2024
‘Long walk home’ is an event run by the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office. Our team participated, walking from Sky Stadium at the north end of Wellington to Porirua City (about 30km)
If a large earthquake struck during a weekday in Wellington the roads and rail may be out of use. Many people would need to do a long hike home.
What a fantastic way to build awareness and prepare for a real event and have fun along the way.
To keep up to date with our deployments, training and other activities, follow us on Facebook.
Patient evacuation Training Exercise
The team turned out at 7pm February 19th, for a training exercise at Wellington East Girls College.
The casualties (volunteers and fellow team members) were briefed and positioned strategically inside the building.
Once located, the casualties were assessed. First aid was then administered before removing them out of the building.
Using a ladder (instead of the stairs), the casualty, secured in the stretcher, was moved to another floor.
The new skid stretcher in use.
Emergency water supply training
February 12th 2024, 2 men from Wellington Water and WRC spent the evening training our team how to set up an emergency water distribution station at a Civil Defence hub or from a tank carried on a vehicle.
Outside, we accessed the fire hydrant in Davies Street, Tawa, attached the appropriate fitting and opened the valve.
We rigged up a community water station which, in the event of an emergency, would provide clean water for the public to fill their containers.
Wellington Volunteer Fire Support visit
The Volunteer Fire Support guys and girls based in Kilbirnie, Wellington, spent the evening training with us on November 6th 2023.
The aim of the evening was to discuss and familiarise each other with the equipment and expertise of both teams, to enable us to work more effectively together in an emergency situation.
We practiced the safe use of stretchers for evacuating casualties. The ‘casualties’ on this occasion were our team members.
Training exercise October 28th 2023
The team gathered at the Wellington Town Hall, which is currently undergoing substantial renovations.
After the initial briefing, the casualties (with some very realistic looking injuries) were positioned in the rubble and it was the job of the team to locate, assess and provide first aid.
The casualty’s vital signs were regularly monitored and recorded.
All casualties were safely extricated. A final debrief completed the day.
Fire in Wellington October 15th 2023
Our team were called out to assist with cordon control in Ghuznee Street Wellington on October 15th.
A fire had taken hold in a vacant multi-story building.
As the fire was located in a potentially busy pedestrian area in the central city, NZRT8 assisted Fire and Emergency NZ in keeping the public safe.
It’s great to be able to work together with other emergency services.
Training Exercise July 2023 in Porirua
We had the use of an empty building in the Porirua town centre to practice a post-earthquake scenario. Two live ‘casualties’ and several cardboard ones were positioned inside the building.
Our newest recruits, (in orange and blue) with support from our more experienced team members (in red and black), located and assessed the casualties. They administered first aid and then figured out the best method and route to extract the patients through the broken building and over the rubble.
The scenarios are set up to be as authentic as possible and the team members are expected to perform their role as if it is a real situation.
The casualty is monitored throughout the extraction, vital signs are checked frequently.
Emergency Services Expo April 2023
This was the 6th Expo show-casing the Emergency services and all their latest equipment and technology. It was a very interactive and informative day, well attended by the public.
It was great to interact with the public and see the kids having a fun time.
Pictures below are of Westpac rescue helicopter and the Fire an Emergency NZ displays.
Hawkes Bay March 2023
Severe flooding hit the Hawkes Bay on February 15th 2023. Smaller communities were cut off due to roading damage and bridges being destroyed.
We helicoptered 2 teams into the smaller isolated communities: distributing food and supplies and providing medical assistance and reassurance. We also relieved local volunteers who had been running the community hub where bulk supplies were being received for distribution.
More photos on our Facebook page. Keep up to date with our activities.
Auckland February 2023
Cyclone Gabrielle hit the Auckland and Northland regions on February 14th. We sent a team to assist with the clean-up.
We cleared out flood damaged homes, stripping out the carpets and furniture which were not salvageable.
Would you like to be involved?
Training Exercise November 2022
The exercise took place in an abandoned building in Island Bay. Several ‘casualties’ were planted in the building. The aim was to locate, assess and safely extricate them.
The persistent rain did not deter the team.
The day concluded with feedback from team members and casualties.
Accreditation at Parliament 2022
On 21st September 2022 the team gathered at the Beehive (NZ Parliament Buildings) to receive our accreditation from the Minister for Emergency Management, Keiran McAnulty.
As part of the Emergency
Management System Reform in 2021, the Government committed to building a robust and sustainable,
volunteer based emergency management support network in New Zealand.
The accreditation process is to ensure a consistently high standard of competence among the volunteers. Accredited teams can be deployed to other regions in the country and work confidently and effectively with the emergency response coordinators in that region
Plimmerton Flash Flood November 2021
About 50 homes in Plimmerton, north of Wellington were flooded by a very heavy downpour on 29th November 2021.
We deployed a team to assist with clearing the sodden materials from the affected homes. We piled the items into waiting trucks.
See more photos of our activities on our Facebook page.
Life Flight Open Day March 2019
Another awesome opportunity to meet the public and showcase our work.
There were many opportunities to chat with the public about our work. While a lot of our display was static, the kids loved trying out the equipment.
We spoke to lots of people on the day, and recruited a few more volunteers for the team.
Would you like to join the team? We’re always looking for new recruits. Complete the form in the link below.
Team Participation
Every exercise requires the full participation of the team; laying out and checking the gear.
The communications team set up and test their equipment.
Then medical personnel check their medical equipment and supplies.
Some of the team are experts in the use of ropes and abseiling for moving team members, equipment and casualties over steep terrain and in and out of multi-story buildings. Some of our team members have no special skills but are equally valued, essential members of the team.