The vehicle has greatly added to the teams response capability and will greatly assist us 
in our Civil Defence and first aid activities in the community said Nathan Clark one of UHCRs
 longest serving members on receiving the keys from Barry Gee on behalf of Public Trust 
who administer the TGMacarthy Trust.

Even before the vehicle was officially handed over it was pressed into service ferrying 
equipment for the team as they undertook the lighting of tunnels and first aid services 
for the Annual Trentham Harriers Incline Run and Walk. 

The project has been 12 months in the making and the team wanted to make sure they 
got it right with regards to vehicle dynamics and multi-roled capability. The vehicle is 
primairy designed for heavy towing of the teams rescue equipment and trailers, whilst 
the offroad capability is a very much needed bonus to the vehicles capability.


The vehicle is fantastic and has a unique radio configuration that is set up so we can 
talk to just about anyone just about anywhere. This will be really beneficial when we 
work in the backblocks of Upper Hutt.  We have been able to get the best that money 
can buy, which we wouldn’t have been able to acquire without the support of the Trust. 

Many businesses have seen merit in what the team does and came on board to support 
us with the project and special thanks have to go to Tait Mobile Radio Wellington where 
Dave Rangi and his team did a fantastic job installing the radio and vehicle warning lights 
and equipment. The sign writing and badging from Dzigne signs makes the vehicle look 
really polished and impressive. 

The team is Upper Hutt’s Civil Defence Rescue Team and has a very busy year with 
several deployments to Christchurch in February and March and is actively seeking 
new members. If you want to get involved, feel free to attend a Monday Training session 
at the Council Depot, Park Street from 7.30 onwards. Feel free to call or text the team 
on 021 468427  - 021 GO UHCR.  Check out their website www.uhcr.org.nz

Letters from MP's Chris Hipkins and Paul Quinn congratulated the team on their success
was quickly followed up with a letter from Upper Hutt's Mayor congratulating the team 
with his Worship offering his full support to a "slick and professional team" and it's 
continuing endeavours. Also a letter from John Carter, Minister of Civil Defence 
acknowledges the teams contribution to Civil Defence. 

The letters received can be read by clicking the links below,


Chris Hipkins MP

Paul Quinn MP

Wayne Guppy Mayor

John Carter Minister of Civil Defence

The first Civil Defence competition for a very long time attracted eight teams from around 
the country to Taupo to compete for the honour of Top Team. The competition started 
with the team leaders breifing at 10.45am and the comptetion started at 11.45am on 
the Saturday morning. The first Civil Defence competition for a very long time attracted 
eight teams from around the country to Taupo to compete for the honour of Top Team. 
The competition started with the team leaders briefing at 10.45am and the competition 
started at 11.45am on the Saturday morning. Teams travelled to Taupo on the previous
day. The competition was based around 15mins travel, one hour task, and 15 mins 
equipment pack up and readying for the departure to the next task. The competition had 
each team of eight members maximum completing the eight activities. Each team 
completing the tasks in a different order with four activities being in day time and four at 
night with a meal break in the middle. Most teams competed all the activities by 1am 
on the Sunday morning tied and a little worse for wear. The scoring by the judges was 
hard, with all aspects of the tasks being scored from travel, team member presentation, 
activity competency and completion, team resources and use, and Team Leader abilities. 
We had enough members to be able to sub in and out members for the tasks. Prize 
giving and brunch were on Sunday morning at 10am. We took two task awards (In the 
Bog and Total Trauma Triage), and the Top Team award.

The aim of the exercise was to refresh 4WD driving techniques, practice establishing 
test-based incident control centres and to build relationship between teams. While it 
was a wet and cold day, all objectives were met. All were able to test equipment and 
the common tent system used by the groups meant that several tents were able to 
be joined together to establish control centres. The IPstar satellite communication 
system utilised by the Hutt Valley Emergency Management Office enabled at least 
4 laptops to operate via a wireless system including voice and fax capability over internet.

Most of the groups had already been working together during the week at a Disaster 
Awareness Week display in Upper Hutt. All teams realise that in times of crisis they 
will be working very closely together so this exercise represented another step towards 
building close working relationships in 'peace time'.

A two day Swiftwater Responder Course comprising of theory and practicle was under
taken by the members of Upper Hutt Community Rescue. In house instructors and the 
program sponsored by EMANZ made sure that every team member available to attend 
could. Keeping the classroom time to a minimum ment that quality water time was had. 
The wide range of skills were taken on board and practiced vigorously. Good weather 
and river volumes made for a good course.

Exercise Backblast 16-17th February 2007 was a good test of Upper Hutt Community 
Rescue’s response capabilities, and proved that we have a great team that works well 
together and can perform outstandingly when given the opportunity.  Feedback 
provided to the team from the weekend stated that Upper Hutt Community Rescue 
was a professional team with good clear leadership who took the initiative to get 
rescue activities moving when required. 

Local council controllers were around during the weekend, and ideally would have 
been involved in the Incident Management Team, however most were there only 
observing the action.  Members of the rescue teams took turns manning the radios 
and assisting with other incident control activities. Impressive triage facilities were 
supplied by Upper Hutt and Porirua Red Cross.

The weekend consisted of a number of scenarios which started with a full 
reconnaissance of the college on Friday night.  The auditorium scenario on Saturday 
afternoon commenced with a brief of the team leaders where each team was 
delegated one phase of the rescue to concentrate on.  Upper Hutt Community 
Rescue was tasked with reconnaissance, which involved thoroughly searching the 
outside of the building for casualties, hazards, possible access points, resources 
available, and damage.  By talking to the casualties inside we were able to provide 
an initial figure for the numbers of casualties, as well as establishing that the 
restrictions placed on us provided only one means of access, a small ventilation 
shaft near the roof.  

Having reported back our findings, we were tasked with supporting other teams.  
Not only was the access to the building challenging, but the coordinators had 
mandated that the only means of access to the site was over a covered walkway, 
meaning the teams had to work closely together to get rescuers and resources 
to the building.  Casualties, often in stretchers, also had to be transported over 
the covered walkway out to the UHCR van, which was used as a makeshift 
ambulance to take them to the triage facility.  

A number of UHCR team members entered the building, and during a secondary 
collapse provided the only communication from the inside of the building.  Our team 
members were pivotal in communicating what resources were required, and 
ensuring that once collected they quickly got inside, but relied heavily on the other 
teams to obtain, move, and utilise the gear.  The exercise was a good example of 
how the four different rescue teams can work together, pooling resources and 
experience, to affect a difficult rescue.

As with any mass casualty incident, all casualties need to be assessed then 
removed in priority order.  The general rescue philosophy is different to other 
rescue incidents in that the main aim is to ‘rescue the greatest number of 
casualties in the minimum amount of time’.  This was demonstrated in this 
scenario, with the two walking wounded being removed from the scene very 
early on, and some badly hurt casualties being left until later.  When all known 
casualties were removed, a USAR search dog completed a sweep of the area to 
ensure that all casualties had been located and removed.

As with any opportunity to put training into practice, there were lessons to be 
learnt for everyone; for those within the Incident Management Team, with the 
exercise coordinators, and with the way the rescue teams worked together.  
However to remove 13 casualties from a dark enclosed space with minimal 
small access points within two hours was a great effort and all those involved 
should be commended for their part in making it happen.

Upper Hutt Community Rescue has won the Upper Hutt District, Wellington 
Airport Regional Community Awards, 2005.

We are winners in the 2005 Health and Wellbeing Category. 

As a result, we now go against other Wellington Districts at the Regional 
Awards Ceremony on the 17th of November at the Wellington International 
Airport. This is a chance to win not only the Regional Health and Wellbeing 
Category, but also as an Overall Regional winner to represent Wellington 
at the National Awards in Hokitika.