Getting Christchurch businesses online after quake

IT specialists work to get Christchurch businesses online after earthquake [Oxygen IT Limited]

With vehicles unable to be used, Oxygen IT systems engineer Alan Twohill takes to the bicycle to help get Christchurch back online.

With emergency agencies declaring parts of the Christchurch central business district off-limits, possibly for weeks, until damaged buildings are declared safe or demolished, one IT provider has taken to the streets on bicycles to get Garden City businesses back online.

Many businesses had their servers disrupted and have had no websites or emails working properly since Saturday’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

With the co-operation of the police, army, City Council and Civil Defence, IT specialists from Oxygen IT have been cycling the inner business district getting their clients’ and other business servers back online.

“The ‘Can-Do’ attitude of Canterbury business people is inspiring,” says Oxygen IT managing director Stace Hema. “It was too difficult moving within the CBD by vehicle, so my company has ditched our cars and we’ve taken to pedal power to get businesses up and running again.”

The Arts Centre of Christchurch required emergency data assistance to restore email services, which was vital for their business as tenants of Christchurch’s normally bustling Arts Centre. Another business, the Christchurch City Elim Cathedral of Hope Church found the earthquake had shifted their entire server rack, leaving staff and students completely offline.

Mr Hema said Christchurch people are rallying around. “Despite the devastation, we are having other smaller IT companies in Christchurch coming together to help attend to each others’ customers. I’m very proud of the people of my home town to get stuck in and help each other out.”

He added that Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has provided excellent leadership to get the city back on its feet.

ENDS