NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 78

23 JULY 2014

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.

NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY AWARDS

The Governor-General, under authority delegated by The Queen, has been pleased to approve the following New Zealand Bravery Awards:

THE NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY MEDAL (NZBM)

Stephen ACTON
Senior Firefighter, New Zealand Fire Service

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. In order to enter the office space of the collapsed building, Senior Firefighter Steve Acton and other firefighters had to break through layers of concrete with hand tools and grinders before tunnelling through office equipment and furniture to reach trapped victims. Acton and a team of three other firefighters located two women trapped beneath a balcony overhang at the rear of the building. The tunnel they created between the collapsed floors ranged from 30 to 70 centimetres high and did not allow for protective gear to be worn. Working in this cavity, Acton utilised his experience as a builder to direct which pieces of debris could be safely moved. One woman was located around five metres inside the tunnel. The firefighters were able to clear an access hole and extract her, with crushed toes. The team then located a second woman pinned to her chair by a concrete beam. Acton was able to free her by sawing the legs off her chair. After approximately four hours, Acton’s team was relieved by a second tunnelling team. The rescue efforts of Acton and his team were carried out in unstable, confined spaces under the constant threat of aftershocks.

Michael John BROOKLANDS
Sergeant, New Zealand Police

Citation

Sergeant Michael Brooklands (now Acting Senior Sergeant) was on duty in central Christchurch when the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck on 22 February 2011. He was one of the first Police officers to arrive at the collapsed Canterbury Television building, and took immediate command at the site. He contacted Police Communications and gave them a situation report, requesting Fire Service and other assistance. A fire had ignited in the lower levels of the building, complicating rescue efforts. Sergeant Brooklands worked with three other Police officers on the roof of the building to conduct several rescues amongst the rubble of the building’s lift tower. Their lives were at particular risk during the first hour when they were working under the precarious lift tower that was disintegrating with each aftershock. They were initially able to free a woman and two children. The Police officers then searched for audible tapping or voices and managed to pinpoint the locations of at least eight survivors. Where possible the officers dug down to the survivors they located and using stretchers sourced from the nearby Inland Revenue building, carried the survivors to waiting medical personnel. They heard a woman calling for help in the burning area of the building and made several attempts to reach her from outside the building, with only wet clothing wrapped around their heads to protect against the heat and smoke. This occurred before the Fire Service had arrived on the scene. Due to a brief change in wind direction they were able to climb down inside the building, reach the woman and pull her free. As well as climbing into the building and assisting with rescuing survivors, Sergeant Brooklands assumed control and deployment of staff at the site.

He communicated clearly with the Police communications centre, identifying the site needs. He established a grid pattern for the building search and assigned staff to specific areas, as well as initiating the establishment of a triage and mortuary facility. Sergeant Brooklands remained the Police controller at the site until 3.00am the following morning.

Luke Jonathan BURGESS
Senior Firefighter, New Zealand Fire Service

Citation

On 22 February 2011 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch, resulting in the collapse of the six-storey Canterbury Television building. A fire had ignited in the lower levels of the building, complicating rescue efforts. Senior Firefighter Luke Burgess was part of a team of firefighters who tunnelled through the debris to rescue victims on the car park side of the building. The fourth floor had been compressed to a space of approximately 60 centimetres high with a number of people trapped inside. Luke Burgess teamed up with a second firefighter and tunnelled into the floor where they were eventually able to reach and rescue two women. The firefighters were unable to use breathing apparatus or wear helmets due to the cramped conditions. Debris had to be passed backwards along the bodies of the rescuers and down the tunnel as there was no room to turn around. Firefighters were stationed at the tunnel entrance so that when there were significant aftershocks they could quickly pull the tunnellers out by their feet. Eventually the team of tunnellers, including Burgess, located a small group of students trapped under a beam. Two bodies had to be removed before the students could be reached. One student was trapped by her ankle and it took a long time to free her, but amputation was avoided. Another student was trapped by his head, but was pulled from beneath the beam and extracted through the tunnel. A third student could not be freed until an amputation was carried out by a civilian doctor assisted by another team of firefighters, through an access hole from above. The rescue efforts of Luke Burgess and his team were carried out in dense smoke from the fire and under the constant threat of aftershocks.

Alan Maurice BUTCHER (Posthumous)
Station Officer, New Zealand Fire Service
DECEASED 18 October 2013, Christchurch

Citation

On 22 February 2011 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch, resulting in the collapse of the six-storey Canterbury Television building. A fire had ignited in the lower levels of the building, complicating rescue efforts. Station Officer Alan Butcher was the Officer in Charge of the first firefighters to arrive at the CTV building. After tasking his crew with firefighting, Butcher carried out a reconnaissance of the building, gathering information about how many people were in the building and its layout. As no other firefighters had yet arrived, Butcher worked with a group of civilians to enter a narrow cavity, where he was able to reassure trapped victims. Butcher became stuck for a short time, but freed himself and was able to extract three survivors, passing them back to the civilian group. The rescue efforts of Alan Butcher were carried out in dense smoke from the fire and under the constant threat of aftershocks.

Kevin CARR
Lieutenant Commander, Royal New Zealand Navy

Citation

When the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on 22 February 2011, Lieutenant Commander Kevin Carr was working at the HMNZS Pegasus Naval Reserve Personnel Division. After the majority of staff had left Pegasus to join