August 2013
Issue 2
NZMAT
Newsletter
Solomon Islands – April 2013
Inaugural NZMAT Deployment – April 2013
Inside this issue
Solomon Islands Dengue Fever Clinical Support
Foreword
2
In response to a request from the Solomon Island Government and the
Ministry of Health (MoH) for assistance in coping with a Dengue outbreak
the first NZMAT deployment occurred in April 2013 with two medical
personnel embedded within an AusMAT team.
A combined Australian and New Zealand medical assistance team deployed
to reinforce the health system in Honiara. The deployment not only
provided personnel (doctors, nurses, a logistician and a laboratory
technician) but also much needed supplies and equipment. In his first
SITREP report Dr Ian Norton (medical team leader) from the National Critical
Care and Trauma Response Centre in Darwin stated “the Australian and
New Zealand team have combined into one highly effective clinical entity
under one medical team leadership.”
Dr Vicki Vertongen (Emergency Medicine Consultant) and Erin O’Connor
(Registered Nurse) both from Capital and Coast DHB’s Emergency
Department departed New Zealand to commence work on Monday 8th April
at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara for two weeks.
During the deployment clinicians worked alongside Solomon Islands
counterparts to support them in providing assessment, treatment and
follow up of patients with suspected and confirmed Dengue Fever as well
the ‘business as usual’ presentations to the Emergency Department.
Nursing personnel supported the local nursing workforce by providing rapid
entry to the health care system.
Get to know the NZMAT
Reference Group Members
4
Introducing NZMAT Coordinator
4
NZMAT and CMH
5
NZMAT Website
5
NZMAT Partner – PMA
6
Upcoming Training Opportunities
7
NZMAT Training Venue
8
NZMAT Inaugural Team Member
Course
9
NZMAT Team Member Course –
Participant Viewpoint 1
10
NZMAT Team Member Course –
Participant Viewpoint 2
11
USAR and NZMAT Training
13
NZMAT Team Leader Seminar
14
WADEM & MoH Seminar
15
WADEM Conference – UK
16
Register as a NZMAT Volunteer
17
Continued on page 2
Foreword: Director Emergency Management, Charles Blanch – Ministry of Health
Welcome to the second NZMAT newsletter. Since
March NZMAT ran its inaugural domestic team
members course in Rotorua. This course saw 24 staff
trained in NZMAT procedures and immersed in a 24
hour exercise. The training, a result of a lot of hard
work and flexibility by the training team, was delivered
in partnership with the Ministry, NZ Fire Service,
Counties Manukau Health, Pasifika Medical
Association and the Australian National Critical Care &
Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) and was well
regarded by participants. Attendees gained a better
understanding of the broader implication of
emergencies on their services – and whilst we hope
we never have to deploy NZMAT 'in anger' many of
these considerations and 'what if planning’s' are
applicable to normal areas of work. The course was
delivered to a standard common with the NCCTRC
Faculty and the benefit of this approach was seen in
April when NZMAT members Vicki Vertongen and Erin
O'Connor deployed for two weeks embedded within
the Northern Territory AusMAT Team supporting the
Solomon Islands health response to a dengue fever
outbreak. The response tested a lot of draft
arrangements, and in spite of some initial uncertainty
on whether the NZ offer was to be accepted, Vicki and
Erin successfully deployed and
were well received by both the
Honiara Emergency
Department and the AusMAT
team. The Mission Leader
summarised it as "one team in
two different shirts" and this
has proven the viability of a
joint Australian / New Zealand
response as an option in a Humanitarian Disaster.
Administratively it was as challenging to deploy two
people as 22 and a number of improvements to
procedures and additional personal equipment have
been purchased as a result.
We also have 13 NZMAT personnel about to
commence attending this year’s round of AusMAT
training in Darwin and we will be working with all staff
that have completed training to begin to address
capability gaps and enhancements to specific modules.
2014 will see NZMAT run two team member courses
from 15th – 18th March and 19th – 21st March
conclusive, as well as another round of places on the
AusMAT courses. There are some great opportunities
to be involved and I look forward to working with you
all.
Register as a Volunteer for NZMAT via https://volunteerhealth.org.nz
8.8 magnitude earthquake – Concepcion Chille in February 2010
2
Inaugural NZMAT Deployment – April 2013 continued from Page 1
Upon arrival in Honiara, Vicki and Erin were met by a representative from the Australian High Commission who
provided a tour of the city which outlined areas of safety and where to avoid travelling to before meeting with
the AusMAT team in the afternoon.
Vicki and Erin were allocated to work in the Emergency Department and the
Dengue Clinic / Triage area working shifts from 08:00 – 18:00 hours.
From a nursing point of view Erin had the following comments:
“I have to say that what struck me the most was how hard working the
Solomon Island nurses were given the large volume of patients they see
and the lack of resources in their dept. They were willing to accept advice
on how to improve their processes and so grateful for our help.
Lack of water was a big issue for us, as nowhere to wash hands.
Amazing how the things we take for granted such as running water,
clean linen, drug supplies etc were so limited however the staff just get
on and do what they can with what they have.”
The Medical Assistance Team assisted with:
 Rostering strategies
 Providing education around triage principles
 Strategies to improve data collection
 Providing release of NRH staff to return to normal duties
or have respite breaks
 Strategies to reduce daily consumption of clinical
supplies leading to significant cost savings
 Providing logistic advice regarding concepts of forward
planning for potential surges in demand
 forward planning for potential surges in demand
 Vector control training to ground and maintenance staff
 Developing a grounds plan with the NRH team to
develop sectors to control breeding of mosquitoes and a
sustainable eradication programme within the campus
(logistician lead)
Joint AusMAT / NZMAT Team Members – Honiara, Solomon Islands
Deployment April 2013
3
NZMAT Reference Group
The NZMAT Reference Group is
accountable to the Director of Emergency
Management, NZ Ministry of Health.
The objectives of the NZMAT Reference
Group are to advise on:
1. The purpose and function of NZMAT
and the scope of its operations
2. The recruitment and selection process
and criteria for NZMAT volunteers
3. The development and selection of
NZMAT work-stream group members
and their work outputs
4. Operational documentation associated
with the NZMAT, including standard
operating procedures
5. Other existing and potential issues that
affect the formation or deployment of a
NZMAT
6. Suitable options for managing any
issues
NZMAT Reference Group Membership
includes representatives from Ministry of
Health Emergency Management team,
Counties Manukau Health, Pasifika Medical
Association, NZ Fire Service —Urban Search
and Rescue and the NZ Defense Force.
Get to know the NZMAT Reference Group
Members
Elizabeth Powell - General Manager – Pacific Health Development,
Counties Manukau Health
Elizabeth Powell joined Counties Manukau
District Heath Board, Auckland in November
2005 to lead a partnering programme with a
number of Pacific Islands sponsored by the New
Zealand Government through NZAID. She later
took up the role as Director Pacific Development
and more recently as General Manager Pacific
Health Development.
With a background in Nursing and Health Management, Elizabeth has
worked with the Ministry of Health in Pacific and Primary Health and
in Correctional Health where she was instrumental in developing and
implementing an inmate tattoo removal programme. She has been
part of a Pacific research group with Auckland University School of
Population Health that published ethnic specific research around the
cultural protective factors in the prevention of sexual violence.
Her current role is Pacific health development including the
implementation of Pasifika Fanau Ola within Counties Manukau
Health, Lotu Moui - faith-based health initiatives and growing the
Pacific workforce to meet future need and cultural competency
training.
Elizabeth also has oversight of the Pacific Regional initiatives within
the Pacific islands and the development of NZMAT (New Zealand
Medical Assessment Team) which is an all of government health
response to disasters in New Zealand and the South West Pacific.
Born in Fiji, Elizabeth has a multi-ethnic background with Fijian,
Samoan and Tongan.
Introducing: NZMAT Coordinator
Vicky Tafau – NZMAT Coordinator, Counties Manukau Health
Fitting an active growing family of three children (2 girls aged 9 and 10 and a boy aged 3
and a half) around full-time work put’s Vicky’s coordination skills to the test!
An experienced administrator, Vicky recently took on the role of NZMAT Coordinator
fitting the 0.5 role into her busy week as Executive Assistant to the General Manager of
Pacific Health Development at Counties Manukau Health.
During her six years at Counties Manukau Health, the ever changing environment has seen
the scope of Vicky’s role change multiple times, allowing her greater insight into many
different facets of the healthcare business.
Working closely with the NZMAT Programme Manager, Vicky liaises with purchasing staff around the purchasing
of equipment for NZMAT deployments and NZMAT volunteers coordinating their travel and equipment
arrangements for training courses both within New Zealand and in Australia among other tasks the role of
NZMAT Coordinator presents her on a daily basis.
4
NZMAT and Counties Manukau Health
Counties Manukau Health (CMH) has been contracted by the Ministry of Health
(MoH) to support the development of an NZMAT capability since May 2012.
After the 2009 Samoa tsunami, CMH was the lead organisation, overseeing the
deployment of the contingent of medical professionals who provided medical
assistance.
CMH has a strong link with the Pacific community with 22% of its population
identifying as Pacific – this is 39% of New Zealand’s total Pacific population.
CMH through the Pacific Health Development business unit, manages other MoH’s
Pacific regional contracts including:

managing & organising work placements for clinician

managing & organising patient transfers to New Zealand for medical
treatment

supporting the develop of health services within Pacific nations
CMH works closely with NZMAT’s other partners – Pasifika Medical Association
(PMA), NZ Fire Service Urban Search & Research, St John and NZ Defence Force to
ensure a NZMAT will be fully supported during a deployment domestically or
internationally.
Introducing the NZMAT Website
Is there is any information you are
looking not found on the website let
the NZMAT Programme Manager.
Its official - NZMAT has its own website!
The website is hosted by the Ministry of Health
and can be accessed it via
http://www.health.govt.nz/nzmat.
On this website you can find information covering the following
areas:
 About NZMAT
 Volunteering information
 Background
 Applying
 Deployment
 Notice of deployment
 Reference Group
 Prerequisites for
volunteering
 Team Structure
 Training
 Photos
 What to expect on
 Information about any
deployment
current deployment
 Resources
 Related publications
 Employer information  Related websites
 Past Newsletter
editions
 Q & A sheet
5
NZMAT Partner – Pasifika Medical Association
Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) is a regional nonGovernmental Organisation with over 2000 Pacific
health professional members throughout New Zealand
and the Pacific region. The membership includes
specialist trained doctors, nurses, pharmacists, speech
language therapists, social workers and community
health workers. The organisation provides the largest
Pacific workforce development programme in the
region with a pipeline of programmes focused on
secondary schools, tertiary training institutions and
progression to Pacific Health Professional
organisations such as the Tonga or Fiji Nurses
Association or the Cook Island Health Network. PMA
played a key role in the New Zealand health sector
response to the Tsunami in Samoa, working with
Counties Manukau DHB coordinating the deployment
of clinical staff with specific experience in working in
Samoa including a considerable number of Samoan
doctors and nurses.
The Pasifika Medical Association maintains close
contacts with Pasifika health professional members in
New Zealand and with health authorities, Pacific
health professionals within the Pacific and sister
organisations such as the Fiji Medical Association,
Tonga Medical Association, Samoa Medical
Association, Vanuatu Medical and Dental Association,
Cook Islands Medical Association, Pacific Islands
Surgeons Association, Pacific Anaesthetists Society,
Pacific Reproductive Health Society, Pacific Paediatric
6
Society and the Internal Medicine Society of the
Pacific. Within New Zealand PMA provides support to
7 Pacific Health professional Organisations. PMA has
facilitated, with the National Critical Care and Trauma
Response Center, access for Pacific based clinicians
and health management staff to complete disaster
training in Darwin. Participants from 7 countries have
been involved in the Surgeons and Anaesthetists
Course, Logistics Course, Team Members and Team
Leaders Course. In 2012 a total of 11 completed the
courses and in 2013 a total of 12 are scheduled to
attend.
PMA is therefore in a good position to provide advice,
training and support the deployment of appropriate
New Zealand-based Pacific health professionals into
the region.
Mr Kiki Maoate President of PMA, Mrs Debbie
Sorensen CEO PMA and Dr Ted Hughes Clinical Advisor
and Anaesthetist, Waitemata DHB are members of the
reference group.
Upcoming training opportunities
for NZMAT Registered Volunteers
NZMAT registered volunteers are attending the
following AusMAT Courses this year:
August:


Surgical & Anaesthetic Course
Logistics Course
September:

Team Member Course
October:

Team Leaders Course
Participants on the Augural NZMAT Team Member Course
29th April to 2nd May 2013
Planning is in full swing for the next NZMAT
training opportunity.
Mike McEnaney (NZ Fire Service – USAR) introducing course participants
to the equipment available to set up a team camp on a deployment
The Ministry of Health and Counties Manukau Health
in affiliation with their NZMAT partners, will be
hosting two Team Member courses in 2014 on the
following dates:
 15th to 17th March
 19th to 21st March
Prerequisite for attendance at one of the courses is
being a registered NZMAT volunteer.
Course participants will be selected from the NZMAT
Volunteer Database with the aim to ensure NZMAT
deployable modules have the appropriate pool of
volunteers to select from when a team is being
assembled for deployment.
Charlie Blanch getting ready for the emersion exercise
portion of the NZMAT Team Member course
Abi Trewin & Nick Coatsworth from NCCTRC presenting a classroom session
7
NZMAT Team Member Course Training Venue
Once again the NZMAT training courses will be hosted
by the NZ Fire Service (NZFS) at the NZFS National
Training Centre in Rotorua. This multi-million dollar
centre was commissioned in 2008 and includes
conference facilities, mess block, transport and
equipment storage buildings and the most interesting
part: buildings and spaces that can be set on fire for
training purposes. Essentially, this is a mock town built
from concrete and galvanised steel, incorporating fire
‘scenario’ buildings and external ‘incident’ set-ups.
This facility is considered to be the most advanced in
Australasia and the NZMAT Faculty staff were given a
guided tour of the area which contains buildings in
their rawest forms, capable of withstanding extremely
high temperatures, fire, smoke and water on a regular
basis. Various building types are catered for, including
hotels, retail, various residential and commercial
property options (such as petrol stations) in addition to
set-ups for cruise ships, road / train crossings, car fires
and oil-tanker spillages.
The Ministry of Health and Counties Manukau Health would like to thank
again the NZ Fire Service for making the centre available to NZMAT and
fitting our courses into their extremely full training calendar.
8
NZMAT’s Inaugural Team Member Course
Birth of a New Era
Murray Halbert, Manager Emergency Management Capability, Ministry of Health & Exercise Director, NZMAT
Team Member Course
The end of April 2013 gave birth to the inaugural NZMAT Team Member course in Rotorua,
of which the gestation of nine months’ worth of planning finally came to the delivery date.
Did we have labour pains in the process...You bet! Was it worth it? Absolutely, every last
bit of it! Despite the Braxton Hicks days out from delivery. Apart from the maternal
humour, the team that help build the inaugural course worked together to pull off a very
classy course that was received with high praise from the participants and support crew
across the entire course.
Our success has only been achieved by the tremendous direction and support we have
received from our colleagues from NCCTRC (Darwin), faculty staff in NZ and support staff
based in the DHB's in the Midland region, and in some cases even rounding up the kids to help out. All these
people have provided an enormous amount of encouragement and deserve recognition for their relentless
amounts of energy and commitment, ensuring our course was successful in Rotorua.
As for next year, we're expecting twins, yes we are set for running back to back courses in March next year for
the Team Member training based at the same location in Rotorua. We'll give you a progress report in the next
update.
Register as a Volunteer
for NZMAT via the
following website:
https://volunteerhealth.org.nz
Classroom exercise during the Augural NZMAT
Team Member Course 29th April to 2nd May 2013
NZMAT will deploy only at the
request of the local medical
authority in the disaster area
9
NZMAT Team Member Course 2013 – Participant Viewpoint 1
Cathy Sinclair – Registered Nurse ICU – Southern DHB
A few months ago I read an article in the NZ Nurses`
journal about a new medical team that was being set
up to assist in disasters within New Zealand and the
South Pacific. I thought that what was described was
something I would enjoy being a part of, and decided
to register as a volunteer. Sometime later I got a call
from Judy Fairgray telling me I had been selected to
attend their inaugural training course, to be held in
Rotorua at the end of April.
I was one of 24 health professionals attending this
course. We came from a variety of backgrounds; a
pharmacist, an anaesthetist, a paramedic, GP`s,
nursing and other medical staff; and from all around
the country. The faculty also came from many
different areas, bringing different experiences and
perspectives to the course – NZMAT, the Ministry of
Health, Pasifika Medical Association, and of course
Squiz and the AUSMAT contingent here to experience
life in a cooler climate.
The course was held at the National Fire Training
Centre in Rotorua and we girls soon got used to having
doors held open for us wherever we went by smiling
firemen! We had two very full days on site covering
everything from the NZ Emergency Management
framework, to Pasifika Health and Cultural Awareness,
to learning how to drive in convoy (including safety
measures when being stopped at a security
checkpoint), how to use handheld GPS devices and
basic radio communication using walkie talkies – and
so much more.
The second of the three days (was it only three days, it
felt like more), was a field exercise starting at 0530
hours with a briefing on a mocked up disaster in a
small Pacific island. We were split into five teams and
had to prepare for our deployment later that morning.
I have promised not to spoil the surprises for future
groups by giving away too many details, but I can tell
you it was a very full day with a few unexpected
adventures along the way. We spent the night in a
remote rural fire station in the company of four
gentlemen from the Fire Service`s USAR teams after an
interlude along the way treating mock casualties
injured in the disaster and its after effects.
After such a full day, with so many new experiences,
we were all ready for bed pretty early – after we`d
10
Cathy (second on left) with her fellow course participants
assembled them, that is! Another early start saw us
packed up and ready to leave at 0630, awaiting
instructions from Base before we could set out.
Amazingly, as tired and cold as we all were, there were
no grumpy faces – or was I just too sleepy to notice?
After an uneventful drive back to Rotorua, we were all
happy to hit the showers and grab a change of clothes
before debriefing the previous day`s challenges.
Funnily enough, none of us were terribly sympathetic
to hear all the faculty had had an unsettled night,
having to evacuate their hotel after a fire alarm in the
middle of the night – it wasn`t us, honest! I could tell
you so much more, about our travels and adventures,
and who snored the loudest among other things, but
what happens on tour stays on tour as they say, so will
conclude by saying if you`re sitting there thinking
maybe NZMAT might be what you need to bring a few
new challenges to your life, I would thoroughly
recommend it! Just make sure your immunisations and
your passport are up to date and have the support of
your boss, and you`ll be ready to go – might see you
there!
Feedback received for the NZMAT Team
Member Course 2013
“I thought the training I attended recently in
Rotorua was excellent and I really really enjoyed
it. It was well organised, extremely informative
and the faculty staff and Fire Service and USAR
team, including your coordination of the 3 day
training event was EXCELLENT!”
Sipaia Kupa – Mental Health Nurse
NZMAT Team Member Course 2013 – Participant Viewpoint 2
Sarah Clarke – Physician, Urgent Care / Rural Hospital – Taranaki DHB
So, joining a team proposed to “deploy domestically or
internationally to provide rapid, efficient, health
support” doesn’t sound all that bad… With my medical
career well underway surely it’s time to “give a little
back”. With this in mind I sign the dotted line and find
myself heading off to the inaugural New Zealand
Medical Assistance Team (NZMAT) training on 29th
April to 2nd May 2013.
In preparation for the training I diligently read the gear
list and pack. Items including raingear, a compass,
headlamp, warm clothes, leatherman, walking boots,
sleeping bag, sunscreen, insect repellent, electrolyte
replacement drink, and thermals make their way into
my backpack, along with an extra blanket (for luck).
With all this gear required I am beginning to wonder
just what I’ve got myself in for!
On arrival at the Ibis in Rotorua I am still wondering. A
lovely room overlooking Lake Rotorua with two beds all
to myself! Followed by delicious dinner at one of the
town’s finest to get to know one another. Not that bad
after all!
Day One finds us all piling in to the vans en route
to the National Fire Training Centre– our base for
the next three days. I find it easy to make small
talk with the bunch of like-minded individuals in
my van which has an air of anxious anticipation.
We arrive to some introductory lectures. No time
to muck about – it isn’t long before we’re on to risk
analysis and security actions then out the door for
some more hands on training. Quick time we take
turns practicing convoy driving, navigating road
blocks, familiarise ourselves with “our” gear for
future deployments and then a feed before delving
into the depths of GPS navigation and radio
Feedback received for the NZMAT Team
Member Course 2013
“I just wanted to thank you for the fantastic job that
you and your team did on the NZMAT TM course last
week.
It was without doubt one of the best organised and
most useful courses I have done during my time in
medicine and you deserve a huge amount of credit
for your role in this.”
Chris Jephcott – ED Physician
Sarah in the hot seat in an
inactive classroom lecture
based on ‘Who wants to
be a Millionaire’
communications. All in a days work, but I’m not sure
that I feel ready for deployment just yet. Dinner at
the hotel finds us all quite chatty but weary of what
the new day will bring and thus it’s early to bed for all
involved.
And just as well as it’s an early wakeup call! I
hurriedly grab my gear and head back to the van for
the trip out to base. A latent sense of excitement
drifts amongst us as we all puzzle over what lies
ahead. On arrival it’s straight into intelligence
gathering and preparing the team for “deployment”.
Things are sounding pretty serious and we don’t have
much time to get it together. There is a sense of
organised chaos as we go about our planning while
news bulletins blare in the background. Next thing I
know the time has come to leave. A short trip lands
us “in country” where we begin our first mission.
Many lessons learned there, and our first chance to
try out the gear and test the teamwork. The rest of
the day finds us challenged to use the skills that we
have acquired, as well as to rely on those prior
learned abilities of our team-mates to complete each
task. As daylight dwindles we are pleased to see our
final destination for the day and to tuck in to our
evening meal. The evening is filled with tales of Japan
and Christchurch and other various events. We tuck
up for a chilly night’s sleep and are thankful for the
rest and for the urn preparing our cuppa’s for the
morning. Morning comes too soon and we pack up
and are back to base for a few more sessions.
11
NZMAT Team Member Course 2013 – Participant Viewpoint 2
Continued from page 11
How to get out of a crowd, and exactly what is the
difference between a crowd and a mob anyway? An
introduction to coordinated incident management
systems and exactly where this NZMAT “thing” fits
amongst the other agencies precedes yet another
good feed. I’m not sure whether I’m feeling
overwhelmed or reassured at this stage. We are
treated to a tour of “camp” as set up by the USAR
team complete with showers, toilets and water
treatment plant. Will this be my home for a couple of
weeks sometime in the future? I’m at the stage that I
can imagine working with these people, in this
environment. Following lunch it’s tropical medicine,
tips for the field and strategies for media and
negotiation. Sure could have used some of those tips
yesterday! And hard to believe it’s already over. I
come away from the training having made new friends
and feeling that I really could rely on these people
should the need arise. I also feel much better
prepared for deployment and have a few more tools in
my tool-belt for dealing with adversity. I head home
to arrange my “grab bag” and update my vaccinations.
Just in case of course. You never know when you
might get the opportunity to “give a little back”.
Memories from the NZMAT’s Augural Team Member Course 2013
12
USAR and Training NZMAT Volunteers
As outlined in the first edition of the NZMAT Newsletter in March 2013,
the NZ Fire Service USAR’s Auckland Region Taskforce is a valuable partner
to NZMAT.
A twelve strong USAR team participated in the NZMAT Team Member
Course in April / May 2013 consisting of retrieval, communications,
engineering and technical experts.
Several USAR members joined in on the training exercise part of the
course, where they were on hand to provide advice to the course
participants when erecting tentage, while others spent the night ‘camping’
out with the course participants.
On the final day of the course, the USAR team displayed some of the equipment in their logistics cache which
will be deployed to support a NZMAT in a disaster area to provide a ‘home away from home’.
There was plenty of opportunity for course participants to ask the USAR team about the equipment on display,
some of which are shown in the associated photos.
USAR team on hand to provide advice for
putting up a tent
Communications
equipment to
provide phone &
internet access
One example of a ‘medical’
tent and supplies
USAR team
providing a ‘run
down’ on
equipment
Paul Callaghan explaining the options
for ‘sleeping’ arrangements
Mike McEnaney explaining the ‘mess’ tent
and food supplies on deployment
13
NZMAT Team Leader Seminar 2013
A NZMAT Team Leader Seminar was held on Friday 3rd
May 2013. The aim of the day was to provide an
introduction to attendees (who have previously
attended AusMAT training or identified as potential
Team / Clinical Leaders on a deployment) to NZMAT
policies and procedures such as:
 Expectations of volunteers prior to
deployment
 Daily routine on deployment
 Reporting expectations
Participants were also invited to engage in discussions
on topics including:
 Response guidelines
 Deployment procedure out of NZ Fire Service
USAR Base at Pitt Street Auckland
 Rapid Assessment Team (the initial team
deployed when a request for aid has been
received)
 Clinical leadership framework
Participants were also taken through the display of
equipment in the USAR logistics cache by the USAR
team before heading back in doors to receive
information around:
 Key agencies involved in a deployment
 Sphere outline
 Clusters in Disaster response
 Contingency planning including risk
assessment planning and evacuation planning
Vicki Vertongen and Erin O’Connor also presented on
their recent deployment to the Solomon Islands (see
opening article) providing an insight into conditions
faced and lessons learnt during that time.
As time was short for in-depth discussions to take
place, further opportunities will be provided in the
future.
Visit the NZMAT Website @ http://www.health.govt.nz/nzmat
“Natural disasters are the
stuff that fear is made of.
We can prepare for them,
but we can't prevent
them; we can anticipate
them, but we can't
accurately predict them”
Quote credit: http://science.discovery.com/life-earthscience/10-natural-disasters.htm
14
Image credit: the 2009 Haiti earthquake, via
http://peaceandloveinternational.com
WADEM & MoH Seminar – April 2013 in Auckland
In April a two-day seminar and workshop was held in Auckland in
conjunction with the World Association for Disaster and Emergency
Medicine (WADEM) that focused on managing clinical responses to
complex emergencies, and reflected on recent responses in New
Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.
Feedback from the participants has been very positive and the
outcomes of the work undertaken in the workshop will assist the
Emergency Management team in the Ministry of Health (MoH) to
plan future initiatives to support the health sector in terms of
preparedness for emergencies.
Topics presented and discussed on Day 1 included:
 Lessons from hospital evacuation in complex emergencies,
implications for planning
 Lessons from Christchurch, key points for earthquake
preparedness
 Control and coordination is a response
 Key competencies for responders
 Community-based health services in a health emergency response
 Trauma and surgical responses in New Zealand & the South West Pacific – integrated planning and
preparation for future responses
The topic and objective for the workshop on Day 2 was:
 Hospital Evacuation Planning in New Zealand: Where to from here?
To raise awareness and inform District Health Board (DHB) planning for partial or full hospital
evacuation by reviewing key issues and components of plans to address to those issues:
Interest in attending this seminar was high however spaces were limited. Due to the interest and success
of the seminar, future events are planned and will advertised widely so keep an eye out!
Do you have a burning question related to NZMAT?
Is there information you would like to see in
Newsletter?
Send your questions and comments to:
Judy.Fairgray@middlemore.co.nz
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WADEM Conference – Manchester United Kingdom
The 18th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) was held in
Manchester on 28th – 31st May 2013. According to the WADEM President Professor Paul
Arbon, the aim of the congress was to address issues at the forefront of thinking about
the cause, impact and response to destructive challenges that affect the health of
communities post a disaster occurring.
Each day of the congress began with a key note speaker followed by concurrent breakout
sessions throughout the rest of the day providing presentations on a range of topics such
as:
 triage
 mass gathering
 disaster medicine
 emergency preparedness
 vulnerable populations
 disaster health
information
 trauma
 humanitarian issues
 pre-hospital care
 patient tracking protocols
 ethics
 civil military
collaboration
 psycho-social
 disaster risk management
 education
 nursing
 climate change
 paediatrics
 toxicology and infections
 radiation
 foreign medical teams
 health system evaluations
 risk reductions
 research
 earthquakes and tsunamis
 tactical medicine
 advancing technology in ER
 use of technology and social media
 international humanitarian responses
 earthquake & tsunamis in Japan
 use of syndromic surveillance for crisis
 response and recent events such as the
preparedness
earthquake in Haiti
 planning and responding to major mass
 strengthening country and community
gatherings
emergency risk management for health
Daily key note speakers spoke on a range of topics:
 ‘Against a Tide of Evil: Confronting the Special Disaster of Mass Atrocities and Crimes against Humanity’
was presented by Mukesh Kapila CBE, Professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the
University of Manchester.
 ‘From Anecdote to Evidence: Building a True Profession Of Humanitarian Response’ was presented by
Dr. Peter Walker, Director of the Feinstein International Center at Tuffs University.
 ‘History, Recent “Advances”, and Future of Resuscitation Science’ was presented by Professor Douglas
Chamberlain CBE
Abstracts of Scientific Papers presented at the congress can be found in the journal ‘Pre-hospital and Disaster
Medicine, Volume 28, Supplement 1, 2013’.
For Further Information about the NZMAT Contact:
Judy Fairgray
NZMAT Programme Manager
Judy.Fairgray@middlemore.co.nz
Charles Blanch
Director, Emergency Management – MoH
Charles_Blanch@moh.govt.nz
Vicky Tafau
NZMAT Coordinator
Vicky.Tafau@cmdhb.org.nz
Martin Buet
Regional Emergency Management Advisor (Midlands) – MoH
Martin_Buet@moh.govt.nz
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Register as a NZMAT Volunteer
Interested in volunteering?
Registrations are invited from clinicians and supporting staff working in prehospital, primary, secondary and tertiary care settings within New Zealand.
Registering now will enable you to be considered for future NZMAT training,
including attendance at domestic NZMAT Team Member training or Australian
Medical Assistance Team (AusMAT) training at the National Critical Care Trauma
Response Centre in Darwin.
If you are interested in volunteering for NZMAT you must read the NZMAT
Operational Manual in advance of registration in order to understand the
requirements and obligations of being an NZMAT volunteer, including agreeing to
abide by the NZMAT Code of Conduct specified in the Operational Manual which
can be accessed via http://www.health.govt.nz/nzmat
How to register
Register interest electronically through https://volunteerhealth.org.nz
All registrants will be expected to provide information including their professional skills and capabilities, previous
experience in health disaster relief or work in developing counties, physical fitness, availability for deployment,
vaccinations, passport details, contact numbers detail, referees for example.
You need to allow twenty minutes or more to complete the registration form once you have assembled the data
required. Every six months you will receive a reminder notice to confirm your continued registration.
Note that registration on the database does not mean that you will automatically be selected for training or an
NZMAT deployment. A confirmed registration will however mean you are known to the Ministry of Health
Emergency Management Team and it’s agent CMDHB as a member of a pool of appropriately skills and
experienced people available to respond to a disaster situation
A view of Honiara at sunset during the Solomon Islands Deployment April 2013
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