• 29 people died in Strathewen valley • 80 out of 100 houses were destroyed • All community infrastructure destroyed

• Community owned hall • Primary School • Fire station • Cricket shed

• Roads blocked, bridges damaged • No power for 2 weeks, land line and mobile

services disabled • Natural environment devastated (initially) • Range of losses – pets and stock, history,

relationships, security, sense of place, …… • Community dispersed • Significant change in community dynamics

Community Impacts

• a fortunate life • adrenalin – fair and foul • never underestimate the value of a clean pair of

undies • learning to be helped •perspectives on material aid

• overwhelming and life changing experience • recovery is very long term

Some personal learnings

Immediate needs in the built environment

• Hazards and make-safe • Food and water • Safety and security • Emergency accommodation • Access to properties • Communication - mobile phone and internet • Community infrastructure – e.g meeting spaces • Power, gas • Recovery management infrastructure

Short to medium term needs in the built environment

• Transport and access • Food and material distribution infrastructure • Drainage/sewage • Temporary accommodation • Reinstate or workaround? • Continue ‘make-safe’ • Retail/commercial facilities • Supply chains • Accessing resources

Long term needs in the built environment

• Don’t just rebuild what was there before • Identify opportunities to ‘build back better’

• Upgrade infrastructure • New facilities/services • Sustainable and resilient

• Community infrastructure • Government administration infrastructure • Long term recovery infrastructure

Working with Emergency Impacted Communities

Normal people in abnormal circumstances not disabled probably disoriented almost certainly overwhelmed

Working with emergency affected communities

• Emergency impacted people do not become panicked, aimless or stupid. Indeed they become more focused and more innovative

• Emergency managers who work with affected people, rather than around them, will have far greater success (and an easier life)

• Community knowledge and expertise is priceless and is readily available to those who take the time to ask

Allow/facilitate communities to re-establish

• Enable access and egress – no lock downs

• Get people back home as soon as possible • Clear information on what to do next • A bit of help with essential needs (but no junk!) • Assistance negotiating relief/recovery systems

Recognise, develop and support community based systems

• Identify existing community structures • Facilitate legitimate and effective community

representation - Avoid the ‘loud, angry people’ - Community leaders will emerge

• Utilise local systems for relief and support • Initiate/support community based communication

systems • Supporting rather than controlling • Recognise that consultation is a ‘long conversation’ • Ensure inclusive approaches • Realistic, community based time lines

Managing/controlling bureaucracy and politics

• Make long term commitments rather than short term promises (“we will rebuild what you had”)

• Recognise the range of loss • Collect information once • Establish effective coordination • Establish genuine partnerships • Accept that recovery is long term

The ‘take home’ messages • Recovery is about people • Think of what humans need, not what is easiest,

most practical, or looks best on paper • Engage with communities (get help if you need) • Community recovery is very long term - allow for

this

Remember that you are part of community - there is no ‘them’