The Rescue Exercise – Res-Ex 09 Taupo event was a real test of rescue skills in a 
variety of situations.  Start time was noon on the Saturday and the eight tests ran till 
one am Sunday, so good lighting was essential. The eight, one hour scenarios were a 
test of many expertise areas. Teams had to navigate across Taupo area with only 15 
minutes for pack up, transition, and then15 minutes for briefing and setup. Many of 
the 1 hour events were earthquake simulations; all were challenging and represented 
the skills needed to respond in emergencies that occur in NZ. The rest tested support 
capabilities such as self sufficiency, radio communication, navigation, general knowledge 
and 4x4 driving. A very strong Wellington contingent travelled up with UHCR in an 
impressive convoy of over 20 vehicles. HVEMO (Hutt City), Tawa, and Victoria shared 
the catering and camp sites, building on the existing team work and enjoying great 
camaraderie. The Team Leader for the event was Geoff Fuohy who observed “it was 
great to see the basics being adhered to, keeping it simple, common sense with 
maximum effect in minimum time-frame”. He added “it was poetry in motion”. The 
team demonstrated relative ease through improvisation, change or “give-it-a-go” 
approaches. The competition was tight and with two events to go the result was 
still open. However in the end, UHCR won two events (“In the Bog” and “Total 
Trauma”) and won by a clear margin the overall trophy Res-Ex 2009. The foundation 
for the success was the whole team preparation, practice and willingness to do the 
behind the scenes support roles. One fully trained, junior team member stayed 
behind to ensure the 44 strong Wellington group was fed and watered in the short 
tea break. UHCR deployed a team of 14 and consistently demonstrated strength 
in first aid and casualty handling, 4x4 and terrain management, rescue skills and 
most importantly the ability to be self sufficient and provide welfare for the extended 
team. Highlights included camping in canvas under a clear sky with the temperature 
well below zero; exploring Taupo industrial, commercial, park and wild areas; enjoying 
the strong relationships with the Wellington teams; and the opportunity to apply the 
rescue skills in realistic situations. Thanks go to Civil Defence for creating the event 
and in particular to the Taupo Civil Defence group who organised an excellent 
competition on top of two local real civil defence states in the previous two months. 
Res-Ex 09 was open to the 18 New Zealand rescue teams. Eight teams gathered in 
Delaney Park, Taupo, fully self sufficient and geared to respond to any likely scenario.
UHCR had a very mixed team, the youngest and oldest and 5 of the 14 women. We 
always welcome new members in many roles, if interested contact Dave Butcher, 
Ops Manager on 027 443 0840 or email info@uhcr.org.nz. Our website is 
www.uhcr.org.nz

 The search for Jacek Grzybowski, 28, resumed at first light today. Police believe 
he could still be alive despite nearly a week out in the open. Mr Grzybowski was 
last seen around 9am on Saturday, by residents in Sunny Grove, Wainuiomata, seeking 
directions for the start of the Whakanui Track which runs from the street into the 
Rimutaka Forest Park.  He was equipped only for a day tramp. Police said today that 
he has still not been located. He has spent six nights in the open. Search leader 
Inspector Mike Wright said the field teams now included volunteers from Wellington, 
Wairarapa, Palmerston North, Horowhenua and Tararua.  The Upper Hutt community rescue 
team had 14 search specialists planning the activity from their base. "It's a big 
logistical operation with an intensive search effort to find Jacek," he said. "The 
help we've had from community groups like the Salvation Army with catering and the 
Hutt Valley Emergency Management office with additional equipment is a great support 
to those doing the hard physical activity on the ground." Seven of the 10 search teams 
will probably stay in the bush overnight. Mr Grzybowski's flatmates, also Polish, 
became increasingly worried when he did not return home on Saturday evening. They had 
not been sure what to do and on Tuesday told their employer, who contacted police.  
"If he's hunkered down under bush and fern cover and keeping warm then it is survivable," 
Mr Wright said.  An Air Force Iroquois helicopter will again be used today to help drop 
ground search  teams into remote areas of the park and to undertake aerial searches.  
It was believed Mr Grzybowski hoped to tramp to Mt Matthews and back, he said.  The 
demanding tramp was unlikely to have been achieved in one day.  Police were still 
appealing to trampers, hunters and other bush users who were in the park over the 
weekend to contact police if they saw Mr Grzybowski.  Mr Grzybowski was described 
as 180cm tall, with brown/blond hair and of medium build.  He arrived in Wellington 
in February on a working holiday and has spent most weekends exploring bush and 
coastal tracks in the Wellington region. Some of his family are expected to arrive 
in Wellington at the weekend.  A police spokeswoman said today the disappearance 
had some similarities to that of missing Wellington woman Kaye Stewart in 2005.
On June 13, 2005, Mrs Stewart, then 62, vanished after asking a Conservation Department 
worker for directions in the Rimutaka Forest Park, near Wainuiomata. She was never found.

In an uncanny stroke of luck, a man stuck on top of his four wheel-drive in the 
Hutt river was spotted and saved by a swiftwater rescue expert. Derek Brenchley 
was just the ma to help Dion Climo, who had benn sitting on his 4WD for more 
than three hours before being rescued on Wednesday night. Mr Brenchley - a 
swftwater rescue specialist  - was walking with his dogs besdie state highway 
2 about 8 pm when he heard the man shouting for helpover the sound of traffic. 
He followed the cries. "When I found him, the vehicle was on its side in the 
middle of the river and he was on top of it. He was sitting on the door of the 
vehicle, huddled in his jacket." The river was flowing swiftly and Mr Climo would 
have been swept away if he had tried to leave his vehicle. Mr Brenchley called 
111 and police arrived. A descision was made to hand the rescue mission over 
to Upper Hutt Community Rescue, of which Mr Brenchley is a team leader.
Once the necessary equipment had arrived, he swam to Mr Climo with a line, 
"kitted him up" with lifejacket and helmet and helped him back to land. Fellow 
community rescuer Dave Butcher said it was a "huge coincidence" that 
Mr Brenchley happened to walk past. In all, eight people helped in the rescue 
effort. Mr Climo, who was not injured, said he had been driving the 4WD across 
the river when it rolled. It travelled about 200 metres downstream before it came 
to a rest and he climbed on top.