First responder experiences of the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquakes: Five years on

Abstract

The role of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes was both dramaticand ‘a part of the job’. It has been the subject of both praise and controversy. As an internationally deployed force for major urban disasters, USAR individuals and teams experience intense, traumatic, challenging, and professionally significant events with little notice. This paper summarises the Urban Search and Rescue activities with particular focus on the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. It also reflects on personal and professional experiences in the subsequent five years.