The Engine of The New New Zealand

Disaster recovery

[caption id="attachment_2760" align="alignright" width="225"] Sarb Johal and the team at the world-leading Joint Centre for Disaster Research (with GNS Science) are helping figure out the best way to reduce the impact for those involved in disasters, like major earthquakes.[/caption]

Disaster recovery is a challenging and rewarding career, and there are a number of different career paths.

From psychology, to social policy, to earth science or directly studying emergency management, you can help mitigate disasters before, during and after they strike.

Working in disaster recovery is a challenging and rewarding career, and there’s never been a more interesting time to get into it.

To do what some like Sarb Johal does, you need to have a thorough grounding in psychology. A generous helping of social policy know-how won’t hurt, including a solid understanding of how the public service works and how to influence policy.

You can do specific study in the area of emergency management through Massey. Massey is the only university in New Zealand where you can become a Doctor (a PhD in emergency management), and also delivers a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degree in emergency management.

The Diploma, a niche programme that has been running for more than 20 years, ranks as one of New Zealand’s most popular university-level qualifications in emergency management.

At Massey you can study health psychology at undergraduate and postgraduate level; and clinical psychology at postgraduate level.

There are also undergraduate and postgraduate papers in social policy, and postgraduate papers in emergency management, all of which will make you a well-rounded candidate for getting involved in disaster recovery as a career.

Earth science is another option, which takes you down a different route from disaster recovery – helping predict and mitigate the physical effects of natural disasters – see volcanologist Shane Cronin’s story.

Check out Sarb Johal's story.

History of emergency management

Every country in the world has its own story about local disasters and how these have shaped its emergency responses.

In New Zealand our response has been shaped by events including the Tangiwai rail incident; the sinking of the Wahine; the Murchison and Napier earthquakes; the Erebus air crash; the serious flooding in 2004 and 2007; and the Canterbury earthquakes – to name just a few.

Self reliance is still a major focus, just like it was back in the days of the early pioneers who were affected by natural disasters.

Sarb says the world is watching New Zealand and its unique experience through the Canterbury earthquakes. But we can’t take our eye off the other risks we face. Floods and more intense coastal storms are predicted to start occuring more frequently and fiercely.

One of our challenges is to help understand the science behind what helps or stops people taking steps to prepare themselves to get through crises and disasters and to recover afterwards.

These days, MCDEM (the government’s Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management) coordinates national assistance for local and regional emergencies. Local authorities (regional, city and district councils) still have big responsibilities to sort things out at a local level – and by law they have to work together if several areas are affected.

But the message is that you need to be ready to look after yourself for at least three days if a disaster happens. So if you haven’t got your three days’ supply of food, water and other emergency provisions – get to it! Go to www.getthru.govt.nz for a list of essentials and get stocked up!