There were many lessons learned from the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch. One that made an unexpected splash was the sheer number of Cantabrians that were dethroned.
There is a hidden gem in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. At least, in the Christchurch version. After water, food and shelter, supplying another essential required for civilised daily life was dumped on the recovery team.
Toilets.
That was one of the interesting features in the disaster logistics presentation at this year's CBAFF Conference by Shane Bayley, Manager of the Development Unit at the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (CEDM). “If you eat, you do this. It's the reality of emergency management,” he says.
As you would expect after a major disaster on our doorstep, emergency teams rushed to the scene from far and wide. With much of the essential infrastructure of a modern city damaged or disrupted, logistics organisations sprang into action to restore their own operations, and also to support the needy.
KiwiRail shipped a train load of tankers filled with water to Christchurch and alternative food delivery operations moved into gear as major grocery warehouses had been badly damaged. Grocery transport moved to rail to help with the initial shortfall, according to Todd Moyle, Group General Manager Network and Services at KiwiRail. Mainfreight quickly despatched water as well.
“The whole logistics business ... is a multi $billion industry that we can’t hope to replicate. We just ensure there are systems in place and that their business can continue post emergency. Industry is pretty responsible,” comments Bayley in a subsequent interview.
Challenging Logistics
“Logistics one of the most challenging parts of emergency management.” One of the facets of disaster management is that the picture is constantly changing. Which routes are open, which have just been repaired, which are closed for repair or due to aftershocks, it makes for a fluctuating picture.
“There is an almost continuous meeting between National Emergency Management Centre and crisis management centre about what the current crisis is and what donors are able to provide.” There is a need for situational awareness from a wide variety of sources and Bayley is not averse to drawing updates from the media.
He also says that there has been a mind shift in how to cater for a crisis, following lessons learned from the Christchurch quakes. The focus is now on supporting 'business as usual' and managing by exception only when existing organisations cannot deliver on their own.
After recovery crews, water and food came another wave of blessed relief to the hard pressed residents, as almost every portaloo in the country was rushed into areas where the sewerage system had collapsed or was unable to take the strain.
That included many trucks whisked south on the Interislander laden with loos in the first few days, along with fire engines, civil defence and police staff. Yet even with all the country's resources, Christchurch was still going to be caught short.
While the first port of call for CEDM is local business, so they are not further damaged by having their custom taken away, there was not enough capacity available. A supply initiative started in a hurry, whimsically named 'Operation Thunderbox'.
MBIE drove a rapid international procurement operation, under the auspices of MFAT which coordinates international crisis offers. CDEM even had to smooth the passage of the emergency imports through Customs and MPI.
International procurement
With the help of 747 freighters from a number of airlines and Toll operations on the ground, 42,000 chemical toilets were quickly despatched from the Netherlands, USA and China and supplied to the relieved residents. Portaloos also came in from Australia.
However that all created further logistical challenges. Portaloos needed regular servicing and the waste taken away. Household chemical toilets also need a ready local receptacle, sunk into the ground so the contents can be easily tipped.
This in turn created a considerable amount of chemical waste that needed transport and safe disposal. Indeed, such was the concern over the possibility of toxic chemicals getting into the struggling wastewater treatment system that Hirepool saw fit to issue a public reassurance covering it's 1,600 Christchurch portaloos in April 2011.
With the crisis abating, Government owned emergency toilets and the chemicals they require were stockpiled around the country. However, plastics and chemicals degrade so civil defence started looking for a better alternative that could be deployed and serviced more easily should another disaster strike.
Composting toilets could well be the answer. A study by Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office has proved that a unit simply constructed using available materials is acceptable to families as well as delivering a home grown answer.
Composting toilets may ease future strains
A frame knocked up using wood or MDF, with two seats above large buckets, one for solids and one for liquids is all it takes, along with some wood shavings and straw. Things that can be put together in many local workshops, or even sheds.
Add a wheelie bin for solid waste to be collected and a large population can be supported without the need for such a logistical headache or toxic waste issue.
This solution may well make it's way into the planning for the next crisis and some flat pack frames can be pre-made, either by government or by individuals. That is certainly part of the new round of thinking at Bayley's Ministry.
Perhaps we can get everything in motion more comfortably next time.
You needn't be caught short. Be prepared, with a DIY emergency toilet.
You can find info, options and instructions here.
Article first published in FTD Aug 2015
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