Fragments: First-hand Reports of the February 2011 Earthquake

Warning: This story contains first-hand accounts of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake that might be distressing for some readers.

Those who were in Christchurch on February 22, 2011 all have a story to tell.

115 people died in the CTV Building collapse. Richard Austin’s wife Susan Selway was one of them. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Some might have told their stories multiple times to our friends and family – they got used to it and are setting the day for them.

They all talk about the same day – stories unfold simultaneously, overlap – people cross paths and help each other.

All of their narratives are fragments of the same story – all small parts of a larger story – the story of a Shattered City.

RNZ marks 10 years since the Great Earthquake on February 22, 2011 with a six-part podcast series Fragments, produced and presented by journalist Katy Gosset from Christchurch.

The series compiles an archive of first-hand accounts recorded in the months following the devastating earthquake recorded by locals Julie Hutton and Sandra Close.

Ten years later, RNZ has reached out to some survivors to reflect on their experiences.

How did surviving an earthquake change their way of life?

Episode 4: The CTV Building and Latimer Square

CTV Building. It would become a household name after February 22, 2011.

The six storey building stands at the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets in Christchurch CBD.

The earthquake killed 115 passengers after the building collapsed. Four of them were never found.

The fallout from the CTV Building collapse and the pursuit of justice were a long-running tragedy that continues to this day.

Like anywhere else in the city, the building’s story in the earthquake is one of horror and humanity, as people came to the rescue, and a temporary triage center was set up in nearby Latimer Square.

Richard Austen’s wife, Susan Seloway, bounced around offices in Christchurch shortly after the September 2010 earthquake.

From the old Girls’ High Building, to Kenton Chambers, then moving from there after the Boxing Day earthquake, and ultimately, for what was supposed to be a short-term fix – on the fourth floor of the CTV Building.

When the earthquake struck, Richard was on a plane from Auckland to Christchurch. They had to come back. Once they landed, passengers watched the news coverage at the airport.

Then they showed this huge pile of rubble and then the camera moved down and there was a sign in front of it that read ‘Canterbury TV home’.

“And I just looked at it and thought, Oh my God, this is the Susan Building.”

Richard was unable to contact her.

“She’s a real survivor and so I thought, well, well, either she’s not there because she was going to go to lunch or she’s there.

“If anyone gets out of there, you get out of there.”

Ultimately, he arrives in Christchurch and Latimer Square Sorting Center.

But from there, he saw the CTV Building on fire.

Spent 30 hours in the yard waiting.

“Eventually they came and said, ‘Look, we got to the third floor and there are no survivors there and I’m really sorry to tell you that.'”

Journalist John Campbell was nearby. They met the day before at Auckland Airport.

“He looked from this interview and saw me and quickly finished his interview and came … and said, you know,” How are you? And I said, ‘Oh, it doesn’t look very good.’

“He kind of looked at me and then burst into tears and grabbed me and was crying on my shoulder … so we were crying a little together.”

Richard was waiting. In the end, he was told that there were no longer any survivors.

“I knew Susan was still around, so for me it was almost like confirmation.”

The triage center was organized by Ambulance Officer Craig Stockdale,

But even getting there was difficult – the city was crowded – and people kept coming to him for help.

Before that, though, ambulance crews had to remove themselves from their damaged station, as their cars and equipment were trapped.

“The hardest thing in the world for me was to stay focused on some of the bigger picture jobs and I had to tell people, ‘Look, either we’ll get to you when we can or your best bet is to just pull them and take them to the hospital.’ Now, we didn’t have the resources. ” Stockdale says.

“If you become so involved in helping one person in one place, you kind of lose that [bigger] picture. And that was really difficult for me as a practitioner because usually it’s one person with a patient and you do your best for that person, you know, and you care. “

In Latimer Square, they set up two large inflatable tents – there are ambulances, staff, and equipment for mass casualty incidents.

“The police were really good, they just came and said, ‘What do you need? “And I said,” I want to close this area here, and the possibility of having a helicopter landing area here, and toilets, you know. “

The decision-making was not easy – options like prioritizing helicopter flights to hospitals for patients who are less likely to die before they get there.

But Craig was proud of the work that people do there.

“People kind of started and did what they had to do and what they were asked to do, they probably put themselves in situations that they wouldn’t normally do and I think that’s really cool.”

This included police, paramedics, firefighters, search and rescue workers, and construction workers.

Pete Riley was one of the merchants who worked to save people from what was left of the CTV Building.

He had already spent the mission on the day of the earthquake at the PGC Building, and the next morning, he returned to lend a hand, with his companion, Tony Tamakio.

“Tony and I understood this unspoken understanding that we would go there because in Maori culture it is about returning those who died to their families to be sealed off and we just knew … without saying that this is the reason we are there.”

The action was like picking sticks – but “instead of picking up sticks, there were concrete beams and concrete floors that weighed tens of tons.”

Pitt worked alongside other contractors, police, and search and rescue crews.

The rescue and recovery efforts at the site took more than two weeks.

Pitt has since left Christchurch.

His lifestyle, values ​​and perspective have changed.

Move to a quiet place where he can ride horses, live quietly, and pay attention to the important things in life. And yes, February 22nd played a big role in this decision.

That day, he knew what to do – but he struggled with what he saw.

Pete is happy because he agreed to be interviewed again in 2011. This helped him understand that he was traumatized and that he needed to let go of some things.

“Once I started talking, I realized it was acting up. I can lift the load and talk. I just spoke. It was like a therapy session for me.”

However, he’s still carrying luggage for 10 years, and he feels it every day. He wishes he had said something to the man who died in front of him on the roof of the PGC Building.

Pete is not fazed by his heroic award but he does respect the town’s need to say thank you. He prefers the understanding he shares with the people who have been there with him, like Tony Tamacaho, Tim Smith, and the rest of the team. They don’t talk much about what happened. They don’t need that. Everyone already knows and understands.

You can hear more about what life is like for earthquake survivors 10 years later by listening to Fragments Episode 4: The CTV Building and Latimer Square.

The parts were written and presented by Katie Gossett and co-produced by Gossett and Justin Gregory. It was designed by Alex Harmer and Rangi Powick. Video content Nathan MacKinnon. Tim Watkin is the executive producer of podcasts and series.

Thanks to Julie Hutton and Sandra Close for their work on recording interviews and to those who agreed to re-interview with RNZ.

Where to get help:

Need to talk? Call for free or text 1737 anytime to speak to a trained counselor, for any reason.

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or send HELP to 4357

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508828865/0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be considering suicide, or those who care about family or friends.

Depression Helpline: 08001111757 (24/7) or text 4202

Samaritans: 0800726666 (24/7)

Youth Line: 0800376633 (24/7) or free text message 234 (8 AM – 12 AM), or email [email protected]

What’s up: Chat online (3 PM to 10 PM) or 0800 WhatsApp / 0800 9428787 Helpline (12 PM – 10 PM on weekdays, 3 PM – 11 PM on weekends)

Children’s Line (5-18 years): 0800543754 (24/7)

Rural Support Fund helpline: 0800 787 254

Health line: 0800611116

Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155

If it is an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is in danger, call 111.

.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos