www.cdemcanterbury.govt.nz Open in urlscan Pro
2620:1ec:bdf::31  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

POST /umbraco/surface/sitesearch/Search

<form id="search-panel-form" method="post" data-ajax="true" data-ajax-update="#searchResults" action="/umbraco/surface/sitesearch/Search">
  <div class="field-search-control">
    <input class="field-control" type="text" name="q">
    <button class="btn field-control" type="submit" aria-label="Search"><span></span> Search</button>
  </div>
  <input name="__RequestVerificationToken" type="hidden" value="CfDJ8J1YZdZV74hNiq83MdZEak29Sun2T0qOH62tSmRTDwA3EOwkeRjWJuLh74_GdyfRddZ189yhu91NQ_A6wZ_fcJK-GdJiGVz4MYz4ySmNI6zvuy4IZxNwUXH4vMrDBbIp7JzL4Ql39pfgvTS20tVgv94">
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content
 * Home ready
 * Work ready
 * Community ready

Toggle menu navigation
MENUClose
 * Home ready
 * Work ready
 * Community ready

 * Ready for anything
    * Evacuation
    * Disruption to electricity
    * Loss of communication
    * Disruption to water
    * Storing bottled water
    * Roadblocks
    * Waste
    * Damaged home
    * Care of pets
    * Wellbeing

 * Hazards
    * Your local hazards
    * Earthquakes
    * Tsunamis
    * Floods
    * Fires
    * Pandemics
    * Storms
    * Landslides
    * Infrastructure failures

 * Your district
    * Kaikōura
    * Hurunui
    * Waimakariri
    * Christchurch City
    * Selwyn
    * Ashburton
    * Timaru
    * Mackenzie
    * Waimate

 * Canterbury CDEM
    * About us
    * Governance, strategies and plans
    * Volunteering
    * R.A.T.S
    * Resources
    * News and media
    * Alerts
    * Contact us

Search



ABOUT THE RESCUE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM


TEAM OVERVIEW

The Rescue and Technical Support Team (the RATS) is a volunteer Civil Defence
response team. The team of volunteers are highly motivated and skilled at
assisting Canterbury communities during Civil Defence emergencies. The team, if
requested, can also support the emergency services in their normal daily duties.

The team is owned by Environment Canterbury on behalf of the Canterbury CDEM
Group. It is also supported by its own charitable trust, the Rescue and
Technical Support Team Trust.

In May 2003 the team became the first team to be registered nationally as a New
Zealand Response Team. Designated as NZ-RT 1, the team is available to support
any other area in New Zealand in response to an emergency.

Key facts:

 * Established in 1996
 * The team comprises of up to 30 volunteers 
 * Primarily available to response to adverse events and emergencies in
   Canterbury 
 * Secondarily available to assist any other emergency service response 
 * Dedicated to achieving high standards of professionalism and expertise

Updates and activities

For updates and coverage of what the R.A.T.S team has been up to lately, check
out their Facebook page.

> We train hard and regularly so we can provide service to our community in time
> of need.


RECENT TEAM DEPLOYMENTS

COVID-19
 * Assisted police with receiving returning New Zealanders at Christchurch
   Airport and settling them into hotels for managed isolation
 * Assisted the Canterbury DHB to set up a COVID testing site

Mosque Terrorist Attack
 * Assisted St John to clean and prepare ambulances to return to collect injured
   patients
 * Worked alongisde other Christchurch Response Teams to set up and manage the
   Family Assistance Centre for friends and family of the victims

Pigeon Valley Fire in Nelson
 * Worked with NZ-RT 2 in Nelson to manage the process of residents re-accessing
   their properties which were evacuated as a result of the fire and worked to
   provide community re-assurance


RECENT TEAM EXERCISES

R.A.T.S Exercise 2021

Late in October 2021, volunteers from New Zealand Response Team 1 - the RATs -
took part in a one day training exercise as part of their ongoing training. 

The team was made up of approximately half longer standing team members and half
newer recruits. This was a valuable opportunity for the team to work together
and integrate the newer members into a 'full noise' exercise. 

PART 1 

The team was based at one of the Airport Fire Service Training sites for the
morning and successfully completed 3 taskings.

 * A reconnaissance of the site and extraction of casualties.
 * A simulated collapsed building scenario on a 'Rubble Pile' at on a
   neighbouring property, where the team had to locate and safely exhume
   casualties off the Rubble Pile.
 * A General Rescue and Ladder usage tasking where the newer recruits had to put
   into practice everything they had learned leading up to the exercise.

The RATs wish to thank the Airport Fire Service for the use of their site and
the Voluntary Victims group, organised through Doug Winter from NZ Red Cross,
for supplying us 6 excellent actors/volunteer casualties. 

PART 2

The afternoon saw the team convoy out to one of the team members properties in
the North Canterbury region where, after a quick lunch stop, another 2 taskings
had to be completed.

 * A team building challenge, where part of the team had to ride in a rescue
   stretcher with a bucket of water, while the rest of their team pulled them
   along a grassy paddock to fill up a large water tank.
 * The final task was to create a ladder derrick, a technique not commonly used
   anymore, however still a very useful skill to have. A ladder derrick is a
   self-standing ladder which can be used to 'float' close to a building if
   access is needed, but the structure is damaged. Or it can be used to create
   an artificial high point for rescue operations. This task saw the team raise
   three buckets of water up and remotely empty them. After the task was
   completed, team members were offered the chance to climb the floating ladder.
   It was a great experience for the team to witness this technique.

Finally, the exercise concluded with a social BBQ, with a special thanks to Ray
Davey for hosting his team in the afternoon and putting on an excellent BBQ.

What a fun day as part of the great mahi the RATs undertake in service of
communities across Canterbury and further afield! 

Previous

Next




THE R.A.T.S IN ACTION

Previous

Next

The last training at the old AMI sports stadium.

Rope rescue training on the Meridian Waitaki Dam.

Rubble pile light rescue stretcher carry.

Medical training with the Army at Burnham Military Camp.

Flood response - Heathcote River.

Incline rescue practice on the Port Hills with the new recruits.

Patient extraction during a weekend exercise.


IAN CRAIG TRIBUTE

TEACHER, LEADER, MENTOR AND FRIEND

Ian Craig had a major impact on rescue and emergency response locally,
regionally and nationally. 

Ian began the development of this legacy as a dog handler with the New Zealand
Red Cross Search Dog Unit. While he quickly moved on to be the Team Leader of
the local Emergency Relief Team, Ian's belief of the value of search dogs
continued and he was instrumental in the development and implementation of
national USAR dog standards. 

In 1996 Ian was appointed the Chief Rescue Instructor for Environment Canterbury
Civil Defence. At this time, he also started the Rescue and Technical Support
Team. The R.A.T.S, under his leadership, developed skills in many areas and are
recognised for bringing the term "professional volunteers" into reality. Soon
after Ian's death the R.A.T.S received accreditation as the first registered
USAR Response Team and the members wear NZ-RT1 badge in Ian's honour. 

With the more recent development of a national Urban Search and Rescue
structure, Ian was involved with the National Training and Standards Working
Group. In this forum the concept of the "Orange Card" was developed and Ian
himself was one of the first recipients of this USAR Responder qualification. He
was also played an integral role in the development of national training courses
and assessment for instructors consistent with his strong personal belief on the
need for high standards of training for all involved with rescue and response.
In 2001 Ian completed the Category 2 USAR Technician's course and was a member
of USAR Taskforce 2. 

While this is only a snapshot of Ian's personal achievements, what he will also
be remembered for is his ability to inspire others. His passion for rescue and
the need to have a well-prepared community, and his belief in the role of
volunteers attracted many to become involved. He was a friend and mentor to
many. 

Rest in Peace.

Ian Craig


Find out more
 * About the Rescue and Technical Support Team
 * R.A.T.S team capabilities
 * Joining the R.A.T.S

GET READY

 * Home ready
 * Work ready
 * Community ready
 * Ready for anything

YOUR DISTRICT

 * Kaikōura
 * Hurunui
 * Waimakariri
 * Christchurch city
 * Selwyn
 * Ashburton
 * Timaru
 * Mackenzie
 * Waimate

CANTERBURY CDEM

 * About us
 * Governance, strategies and plans
 * Volunteering
 * R.A.T.S
 * Resources
 * News and media
 * Alerts
 * Contact us

CONTACT INFO

 * 03 366 2359


Accessibility
Copyright
Privacy
Civil defence emergency management group © 2024 All Rights Reserved