Christchurch bravery recognised
Christchurch bravery recognised
Monday, 23 June 2014 - 8:11am
National News
New Zealand Police has welcomed the announcement that four officers and one former officer have received bravery awards for their actions following the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Acting Senior Sergeant Michael Brooklands, Constables Shane Cowles and Michael Kneebone, former Constable Daniel Lee and Sergeant Danny Johanson have each been awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM) in a special bravery honours list announced today.
The Christchurch officers were all involved in the immediate rescue effort after the 6.3 earthquake struck the city on February 22, 2011.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brooklands, Constables Cowles and Kneebone and former Constable Lee saved at least six people from the collapsed and burning Canterbury Television Building. The officers' lives were at particular risk during the first hour of the rescues as the building's lift tower was disintegrating with each aftershock.
Sergeant Johanson joined a firefighter and two civilian doctors in a rescue operation for a badly-injured man who was trapped in the Pyne Gould Corporation Building and in danger of bleeding to death. Working in a confined space and with aftershocks threatening the area he was in, Sergeant Johanson assisted in the amputation of the man's legs, allowing him to be freed. The man survived.
The two doctors and the firefighter have also been recognised in today's bravery honours.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush welcomed the recognition of the officers' actions.
"These officers put their own safety at risk to save the lives of others in dangerous, difficult and very distressing situations. They should all be very proud of what they did that day, as should everybody who responded to this tragedy."
Mr Bush said the officers were among the thousands of Police, emergency service staff and members of the public who responded in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and the thousands more who assisted in Christchurch during the national emergency.
"The way Police, other emergency services, Defence Force personnel and members of the public responded that day and in the days, weeks and months that followed was a credit to them all," Mr Bush said.
Several Police officers have previously received Royal Honours in New Year or Queen's Birthday lists for work which included their roles during the Christchurch earthquake and the national emergency that followed.
More than 3200 Police staff, Australian officers who were temporarily sworn in as New Zealand Police and some emergency workers and specialist recovery personnel were awarded Police Commissioner's citations for their work in Christchurch during the national emergency. They are among the more than 5000 Police staff and others who received Commissioner's Certificates of Appreciation for their work in the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
The citations for the officers who have received bravery awards today follow.
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
BROOKLANDS, Acting Senior Sergeant Michael
(Mike):
Sergeant Michael Brooklands (now Acting
Senior Sergeant) was on duty in central Christchurch when
the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck on 22 February 2011. He
was one of the first Police officers to arrive at the
collapsed Canterbury Television building, and took immediate
command at the site. He contacted Police Communications and
gave them a situation report, requesting Fire Service and
other assistance. A fire had ignited in the lower levels of
the building, complicating rescue efforts. Sergeant
Brooklands worked with three other Police officers on the
roof of the building to conduct several rescues amongst the
rubble of the building’s lift tower. Their lives were at
particular risk during the first hour when they were working
under the precarious lift tower that was disintegrating with
each aftershock. They were initially able to free a woman
and two children. The Police officers then searched for
audible tapping or voices and managed to pinpoint the
locations of at least eight survivors. Where possible the
officers dug down to the survivors they located and using
stretchers sourced from the nearby Inland Revenue building,
carried the survivors to waiting medical personnel. They
heard a woman calling for help in the burning area of the
building and made several attempts to reach her from outside
the building, with only wet clothing wrapped around their
heads to protect against the heat and smoke. This occurred
before the Fire Service had arrived on the scene. Due to a
brief change in wind direction they were able to climb down
inside the building, reach the woman and pull her free. As
well as climbing into the building and assisting with
rescuing survivors, Sergeant Brooklands assumed control and
deployment of staff at the site. He communicated clearly
with the Police communications centre, identifying the site
needs. He established a grid pattern for the building search
and assigned staff to specific areas, as well as initiating
the establishment of a triage and mortuary facility.
Sergeant Brooklands remained the Police controller at the
site until 3.00am the following morning.
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
COWLES, Constable
Shane:
When the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck
Christchurch on 22 February, Constable Shane Cowles was one
of the first Police officers in attendance at the collapsed
Canterbury Television building. A fire had ignited in the
lower levels of the building, complicating rescue efforts.
Constable Cowles worked with three other Police officers on
the roof of the building to conduct several rescues amongst
the rubble of the building’s lift tower. Their lives were
at particular risk during the first hour when they were
working under the precarious lift tower that was
disintegrating with each aftershock. They were initially
able to free a woman and two children. The Police officers
then searched for audible tapping or voices and managed to
pinpoint the locations of at least eight survivors. Where
possible the officers dug down to the survivors they located
and using stretchers sourced from the nearby Inland Revenue
building carried the survivors to waiting medical personnel.
They heard a woman calling for help in the burning area of
the building and made several attempts to reach her from the
outside of the building, with only wet clothing wrapped
around their heads to protect against the heat and smoke.
This occurred before the Fire Service had arrived on the
scene. Due to a brief change in wind direction they were
able to climb down inside the building, reach the woman and
pull her free. The efforts of Shane Cowles and the other
Police officers rescued at least six people from the CTV
site.
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
JOHANSON,
Sergeant Danny:
When the 6.3 magnitude
earthquake struck Christchurch on 22 February, Senior
Constable Danny Johanson (now Sergeant) was deployed with a
Police unit carrying advanced medical kits and specialist
equipment into the inner-city area. The team used concrete
cutting equipment at several sites and were at the forefront
of several rescues at both the Pyne Gould Corporation and
Canterbury Television buildings.
Senior Constable
Johanson joined a firefighter and two civilian doctors in a
rescue operation for a man who was trapped inside the PGC
building. The man was in danger of bleeding to death with
his legs pinned between a concrete pillar and a collapsed
floor section. Senior Constable Johanson assisted with a
complete double amputation of the man’s legs with a
hacksaw and penknife. Inside the dark conditions of the
collapsed building Senior Constable Johanson climbed into a
confined area beside the trapped man, lying on a staircase
with his feet above him in order to access the area to be
operated on. The man was anesthetised with morphine and
ketamine and tourniquets applied to both legs. The civilian
doctor performing the amputation became fatigued and passed
the hacksaw to Senior Constable Johanson, the second doctor
and the firefighter who took turns in completing the
operation. The man was loaded onto a tarpaulin and carried
to ambulance staff waiting outside the building. Several
aftershocks hit during the operation, threatening to
compromise the area Senior Constable Johanson was working
in. The man survived due to their efforts.
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
KNEEBONE, Constable
Michael:
When the 6.3 magnitude earthquake
struck Christchurch on 22 February, Constable Michael
Kneebone was one of the first Police officers in attendance
at the collapsed Canterbury Television building. A fire had
ignited in the lower levels of the building, complicating
rescue efforts. Constable Kneebone worked with three other
Police officers on the roof of the building to conduct
several rescues amongst the rubble of the building’s lift
tower. Their lives were at particular risk during the first
hour when they were working under the precarious lift tower
that was disintegrating with each aftershock. They were
initially able to free a woman and two children. The Police
officers then searched for audible tapping or voices and
managed to pinpoint the locations of at least eight
survivors. Where possible the officers dug down to the
survivors they located and using stretchers sourced from the
nearby Inland Revenue building carried the survivors to
waiting medical personnel. They heard a woman calling for
help in the burning area of the building and made several
attempts to reach her from outside the building, with only
wet clothing wrapped around their heads to protect against
the heat and smoke. This occurred before the Fire Service
had arrived on the scene. Due to a brief change in wind
direction they were able to climb down inside the building,
reach the woman and pull her free, but were engulfed by
smoke and flames and unable to go further into the building
to look for more survivors. The efforts of Michael Kneebone
and the other Police officers rescued at least six people
from the CTV site.
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
LEE, Mr Daniel:
When the 6.3
magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on 22 February, Mr
Daniel Lee, formerly Constable Lee of the New Zealand
Police, was one of the first Police officers in attendance
at the collapsed Canterbury Television building. A fire had
ignited in the lower levels of the building, complicating
rescue efforts. Constable Lee worked with three other Police
officers on the roof of the building to conduct several
rescues amongst the rubble of the building’s lift tower.
Their lives were at particular risk during the first hour
when they were working under the precarious lift tower that
was disintegrating with each aftershock. They were initially
able to free a woman and two children. The Police officers
then searched for audible tapping or voices and managed to
pinpoint the locations of at least eight survivors. Where
possible the officers dug down to the survivors they located
and using stretchers sourced from the nearby Inland Revenue
building carried the survivors to waiting medical personnel.
They heard a woman calling for help in the burning area of
the building and made several attempts to reach her from
outside the building with only wet clothing wrapped around
their heads to protect against the heat and smoke. This
occurred before the Fire Service had arrived on the scene.
Due to a brief change in wind direction they were able to
climb down inside the building, reach the woman and pull her
free, but were engulfed by smoke and flames and unable to go
further into the building to look for more survivors. The
efforts of Daniel Lee and the other Police officers rescued
at least six people from the CTV
site.
ends