SAR SEARCH WHITE ISLAND WATER COURSE: HOT DEBRIEF
Sunday 15 December 2020
1430hrs
AIM: To locate missing persons Person’s ‘A’ and ‘B’.
TASK OUTLINE: 8 Police Search and Rescue staff to go to White Island and search
the water course from the Last Known Point of Person ‘B’ through to the beach head.
Search plan. To conduct probe line search of water course identifying potential
eddying points and snag locations for a body being shifted by external water or
debris source.
75 minute on scene deployment time.
METHOD OF DEPLOYMENT: Air insertion and extraction by two Civilian
Helicopters from Section 9(2)(a) Official Information Act 1982. Accompanying SAR team is
Medical Emergency Officer from NZ Army.
Supported by Police Launch Deodar and Police Divers.
RNZN Wellington with two RHIBS deployed with medical staff for immediate
extraction in emergency.
RNZN Seasprite helicopter on alert station on HMNZS Wellington.
Top Air Cover provided by Police Eagle helicopter with GNS Scientist on board
providing eyes on visual of White Island.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: Level three PPE for all 8 SAR personnel to be deployed on
Island. Equipped with gas meters and FENZ BA Equipment in emergency.
Al other active staff in vicinity of Island, Helicopter pilots, Medical Officer, RHIB Crew
and Medics, Deodar Crew plus dive team equipped with Level 2 PPE and Gas
monitoring equipment
COMMUNICATIONS: Teams on the ground communicated with helicopters, RHIBS
and Deodar via Simplex 2 relayed through Eagle. Deodar provided regular sitreps
via Whakatane channel to EOC.
DEBRIEF:
The aim was not achieved in that Persons ‘A’ and ‘B’ were not located. The task was
achieved with success as the probe line was conducted through the designated area
delivering a probability of success “
very unlikely” that persons ‘A’ or ‘B’ remain on
the island.
TIMINGS:
Al timings were met and all timings were appropriate for the plan.
POLICE: Refresher training and exertion exercise with BA provided reassurance to
team members.
Hydration prior utilising sports supplement drinks and good medical advice was key
to success of team members.
PPE equipment was good and easy to use. Provided reassurance to the teams.
Team entry to scene from Helo was smooth with no issues.
Started search at Last Known Point of ‘B’.
Probe line across creek at even spread. Team leader as safety officer moving
without probe behind team and maintain visual watch whilst maintain radio Comms.
Identified varying ground depths and fil ranging from sand and heavy sediment to
rock. Sediment described as loose on top at about 100mm in depth.
Probes had to break through a crust layer under the sediment on occasion.
Probes into banks on side of water course identified that soft ground was over 1.5
metres deep.
Whilst probes were a good length the steel used tended to flex. Suggestion utilising
stainless steel probe rods in the future.
Probe depth varied from 50mm to over 150cm.
In places the ground was bubbling and the team moved cautiously through these
areas.
Gas metre readings never got higher than 0.4 which is within acceptable numbers.
Team members conducted a team welfare check half way through task before
continuing on. Nil issues identified. Consideration of throat microphones or similar
when using breathing apparatus as getting messages out was difficult. Nil issues
with hearing communication.
Team completed task before focussing on tidal pool at beach head. Pool approx. 7m
x 4m. Pool was not able to be seen into due to murk and tide was high lapping into
the pool. The edges surrounding were soft sand.
Dead fish and branches were visible floating on the top. The side banks were sand
and soft. Depth was unknown.
Sand build up was gradual slope with limiting factor of preventing fast moving water
flow from holding up.
s9(2)(a)
– The pool is not a major holding pool and forms when a southerly comes
through pushing the sand bank up the beach. Generally it is low and a person can
wade through it.
Investigation - identified that Aerial photographs through week show little to no water
in pool on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th indicating a low probability that persons ‘A’
or ‘B’ are present.
On consideration the likelihood of the pool holding a person was low. Determined
low likelihood of success.
Nil gas levels registered at beach head / jetty area.
Helicopter extraction was quick and efficient with no issues identified.
Decontamination process at Whakatane Airfield went well with no issues.
Section 9(2)(a)
HE
Official
L
Information
IC
Act
O
1982
PTERS: Excellent briefing by Pilots to team. Conducted dry run
loading and disembarking that was valuable on the ground.
Pilots – Good brief and happy with task. Worked well with team and found COMMS
plan worked well.
Comment via Army Medical Officer that it felt like being in a Defence Force Machine
and was impressed with the level of professionalism shown.
NZDF: Minimal input from group Officer in Command as no issues identified. Good
Communication levels with no issues identified.
Section 6(a) Official Information Act 1982
Section 9(2)
WBOP SAR/DVI tasked.
(a) Official
GNS: Scientist in Eagle as visual platform de
Information
scribed as an excellent vantage point to
gain a good understanding of risk an
Act d to i
1982 dentify any potential changes that may
indicate a change in volcanic state that would affect the teams. Much better than
when previously positioned on HMNZS Wel ington. Communication with GNS team
member monitoring data at EOC was good.
FENZ: Decontamination went well at Whakatane airfield with the system working
well. SAR team queried the need to wear Respirators in Decom shower. Advised
that without they would not be able to breath due to the spray. Identified that single
filter respirators stil had trouble breathing in shower where those on double filters
had no issues.
