SPECIAL

New Zealand Gazette

WELLINGTON: WEDNESDAY, 23 JULY 2014 — ISSUE NO. 78

SPECIAL HONOURS LIST

SPECIAL HONOURS LIST

NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY AWARDS

The Queen has been pleased to approve the following New Zealand Bravery Awards:

THE NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY DECORATION (NZBD)

Dr Bryce CURRAN

Citation

On 22 February 2011 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch, causing the collapse of the Pyne Gould Corporation building, trapping around 30 people inside. Dr Bryce Curran, an anaesthetist from Christchurch Hospital, was sent to provide medical assistance at the Pyne Gould Corporation building. He made several forays into the building to administer morphine to trapped victims. He then joined urologist Dr Lydia Johns-Putra, a firefighter and a Police officer in a rescue operation to free a man who was trapped inside the building. The man was in danger of bleeding to death with his legs pinned between a concrete pillar and a collapsed floor section. There was no way to remove the concrete safely and a decision was made to amputate both of his legs. Dr Curran administered morphine and ketamine to provide anaesthesia and tourniquets were applied to the man’s legs. Dr Johns-Putra then began the amputation procedure lit by torches and using a hacksaw and penknife. She grew fatigued from the effort of operating the saw in a confined space and passed the hacksaw to Dr Curran who took turns with the Police officer and firefighter in completing the operation. An aftershock occurred during the operation. The man was loaded onto a tarpaulin and escorted to ambulance staff waiting outside the building. Dr Curran rode with the man in the ambulance and assisted in resuscitating him en route to the hospital. Dr Bryce Curran and the rescue team carried out a lengthy operation with minimal equipment in a confined, unstable and dark space whilst under the constant threat of aftershocks. The man survived due to their efforts.

Dr Lydia Grace JOHNS-PUTRA

Citation

When the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on 22 February 2011, Dr Lydia Johns-Putra had been attending a conference of Australasian urologists. Dr Johns-Putra joined fellow doctors to assist those injured in the quake and was directed by Police to the collapsed Pyne Gould Corporation building. She joined anaesthetist Dr Bryce Curran, a firefighter and a Police officer in a rescue operation for a man who was trapped inside the building. The man was in danger of bleeding to death with his legs pinned between a concrete pillar and a collapsed floor section. There was no way to remove the concrete safely and a decision was made to amputate both of his legs. The man was administered morphine and ketamine to provide anaesthesia and tourniquets were applied to his legs. Dr Johns-Putra then began the amputation procedure lit by torches and using a hacksaw and penknife. She grew fatigued from the effort of operating the saw in a confined space and passed the hacksaw to the Police officer, the firefighter and Dr Curran who took turns in completing the operation. An aftershock occurred during the operation. The man was then placed in a tarpaulin and carried to waiting ambulance staff outside the building. Dr Lydia Johns-Putra