Unimog in a ditch prompts changes - but police have little to say about them
New Zealand police have updated flood rescue protocols following a failed operation where a military vehicle became stranded with civilians on board. Despite the policy changes, the police have faced criticism for failing to document the debriefing process or lessons learned.
Why it matters
Transparency in emergency service operations is essential for public safety and accountability during natural disasters.
Police have made changes to flood rescues after problems rescuing some hypothermic elderly people stuck in a ditch - but without keeping any record of the discussions they had about the problems.
RNZ asked police for their debrief about a Defence Unimog getting stuck with a dozen people on board in the fatal floods that hit the Bay of Plenty (BOP) in January.
First they said they didn't have one, then that they did but that no records were kept of it - yet they changed flood rescue systems as a result of those discussions anyway.
Alerts went out around midnight on 21-22 January about cars stuck in floodwaters on Waitoa Road near Papamoa.
The NZDF Unimog was not meant to be used for rescues, only for transport, but got sent anyway with several police and firefighters on board.
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