Recorded: 02 December 2010

Interviewer: Nancy Burnett

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

EDITH ANNE STODDART

TRACK 1

00:46 EDITH ANNE STODDART born in 1934

00:58 Recording Agreement

01:32 [1984 FLOOD in INVERCARGILL]: Chief Welfare Officer Name placed on CIVIL DEFENCE list by a friend – nothing to do – Described

02:39 Reference to CIVIL DEFENCE as 'DAD'S ARMY' – Explained 03:07 Own involvement from about 1975 (assessed from son's age)

03:24 [TRAINING]: Occasional visits from Civil Events men from CHRISTCHURCH Name on list about 2 months – Went to Special Training School in MELBOURNE Self only Kiwi in group – Intensive training including examinations – Described Experience priceless

04:46 CIVIL DEFENCE has greater recognition in AUSTRALIA due to serious bush fires

05:05 Self qualified instructor – Trained SOUTHLAND people then to other parts of country Training School set up in MARTON north of PALMERSTON NORTH – Self had a staff roll when required

06:01 Training ongoing – Help from CHRISTCHURCH continued to give support

06:29 Own long involvement with welfare issues and organisations FOOD BANK – Mentioned

07:22 At FLOOD TIME living in DALRYMPLE STREET – Husband own business – Two children at home TWEEDSMUIR INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL – ELLES ROAD – Mentioned

08:33 Own home not flooded – Some drainage problems in the area

08:58 In CIVIL DEFENCE alerted to unusual events – MT EREBUS disaster – Explained INVERCARGILL closest airport to ANTARCTIC CHRISTCHURCH – Mentioned

09:50 1984 – Constant rain for three full days – Phone call to JIM BRASS (local controller) Own actions while waiting for call-out – Explained 10:51 Made decision to load car and travel to CIVIL DEFENCE headquarters Type of car driven and driving conditions at 1 o'clock in the morning – Described Stranded vehicles – Described DALRYMPLE STREET – NESS and NITH STREETS – PUNI (OTEPUNI) CREEK – Mentioned 11:58 Terrifying experience of driving through huge 'water fountains' – Described Arrival at CITY COUNCIL building – Described

12:48 Bedlam at Headquarters – POLICE cordon in action – Flood situation being assessed 13:14 About 4 in the morning husband received phone call from MAYOR, EVE POOLE unable to get into town to declare the disaster – Request for transport assistance Official order of actions to Declare and Emergency – Described

14:01 Disaster Declared – Earlier self had alerted WELFARE TEAM and connected organisations to be 'On Alert' – Move immediately when called

14:14 Telephone staff needed to install extra phone lines

14:47 People made aware of emergency...

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 … Use of sirens to alert community The roll and extensive powers of CIVIL DEFENCE in a disaster – Explained Initial duties of POLICE and MAYOR – Described

01:29 Identification of Civil Defence personnel by special tags

01:37 [WELFARE AGENCIES]: Included RED CROSS – SALVATION ARMY - CHURCHES HEALTH ORGANISATIONS – SOCIAL WELFARE Services provided – Explained

03:45 Own responsibilities during disaster – Feeding – Clothing – Accommodation 04:39 Registering of ALL flood victims – Details required and why – Explained Enquiries received from around the world SOCIAL WELFARE STAFF – Mentioned

06:34 Self could not have managed without use of trained people in various areas Difficulty training people for events not encountered

07:05 Food also provided by hotels and other groups

07:21 CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES – Asked for specific project – Accepted task of doing laundry for victims

08:31 ACCOMMODATION – About 5000 people needing help Delays in returning to homes – Described New TI WAI (Aluminium Smelter) HOUSES in SOUTH INVERCARGILL offered Conditions of new empty buildings – Described

10:06 Accommodation needed for more than a few days – Problems encountered

10:31 Use of caravans – Loss of jobs – Small children Use of motels – SOUTHLAND not an area to pitch numerous tents Divorces

11:31 People housed at BOYS' HIGH HOSTEL (COLDSTREAM) – Anger at not being able to return to homes Self spoke to victims of the many HEALTH and SAFETY issues – Described

12:50 Involvement of HEALTH DEPARTMENT

13:01 Self did not react to anger – Explained

13:14 After repair every home checked by BUILDING and HEALTH INSPECTORS Communication procedure – Described

14:17 WAIKIWI worst affected area – POLICE cordon needed for some homes Occupants' efforts trying to break through cordon Reasons for non-access – Explained

15:00 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:00 … Description of condition of homes continued Sewage problems

00:23 Emotions of victims wanting to go home

00:31 No incidents of illness such as 'tummy flu' – Extreme care taken in handling situation

01:00 Conversation with helper from CHRISTCHURCH regarding local needs – Described Group visited evacuees to establish needs

02:02 Normal living conditions in parts of city – Other areas severely flooded Contents of houses removed to street – Described Loss of sentimental items Attitude of insurance companies – Mentioned

03:01 Depth of water more than a few inches – Rescuers swam into some houses No loss of life at the time – Suicides later

03:50 Psychological help not available at time 04:00 INVERCARGILL in 'Disaster' for three weeks – Laws relating to Powers of Civil Defence – Explained Local area applied more than once

05:07 CIVIL DEFENCE power ceases when Disaster dropped – Public sector become responsible

05:58 Psychological and other help needed regardless of who paid Conversation with EVE POOLE and PETER JONES – Need to repair people's lives Not a Council obligation – Conditions offered Self could not take full responsibility – Threatened with loss of employment – Loved job but INVERCARGILL people more important REHABILITATION LEAGUE – Mentioned

08:36 Own feelings after meeting with Mayor – Described Visited businesses in city – Reactions of owners – First contribution $3000 End of week returned to Mayor's office – Delivery of money – Described Use of money – Explained Self willing to assist in any way during own lunch break

10:07 Two people employed for a year to deal with problems.

10:20 Psychological help needs to be part of CIVIL DEFENCE Aftermath worse than disaster – Lives of workers as well as victims affected CHRISTCHURCH – Mentioned

11:04 Families unable to understand effects on workers Self would not have survived without understanding husband Did not slept for three days and nights – No Deputy at that time – Managed two hours sleep eventually 12:39 Incident in Defence Headquarters relating to phone calls from own husband – Described Youngest son to start new school – Did not see him in new uniform Don't know how own family coped for three weeks – Food from church POLICE – WARDENS – RESCUE – Mentioned

14:46 On return home not able to answer telephone...

15:00 End of 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … Reporters a problem – TV – Radio – Press

00:23 TV crew turned away from Headquarters – Returned several times – Informed by Controller that self had to talk to TV – Described

01:26 On return home still problems with reporters Would not go near a river – Reaction to future rain

02:00 Differences in self noted by husband Self felt more understanding

02:39 When disasters occur know the effects on others – Self affected as well

02:58 Sad memories of mother, son and a teddy bear – Described 04:04 Structures can be rebuilt – 50% of victims had no insurance

04:29 FARMERS – Some didn't cope – Explained

05:17 OTAUTAU and TUATAPERE involved through Headquarters. Had own CIVIL DEFENCE teams that coped very well

05:58 COMMUNICATIONS – Walkie-Talkies used extensively 'Runners' used in some areas – One person on motorbike 07:09 COMMUNICATION from people and to people essential Wardens responsible where there were groups of people i.e Halls and Hostel PIKE DISASTER (coal mine) – Mentioned

08:06 EVE POOLE''S remark recalled – MAYOR but unable to do anything – Explained Aware of happenings – CIVIL DEFENCE compared with ARMY for training

09:28 Self not normally one to 'bark' orders – Was a timid child Incident with phone at father's weekend job – Described

11:07 Own need to have knowledge of topic before being involved in conversation Training invaluable – Self not frightened during disaster

12:04 Bread strike at beginning of disaster – Outcome - described

12:45 Self never felt overwhelmed – Value of training in AUSTRALIA

13:10 With trained teams obeying instructions all will be well Only one incident of a person wanting to do 'their thing' – Dealt with quickly – POLICE involvement

14:00 Pestered by media for months...

15:00 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … Need to get away from own home despite weather – Caravan loaded – Travelled to RIVERTON Walk along beach – Described

01:19 Discovery of small old house at RIVERTON – Described Phone call to Estate Agent – Other properties viewed Return to original house – Described Signed up for house before self left – Bought it – A place to escape to

02:23 Telephone removed – Own sanity returned – Later another house bought and phone removed Had become member of CITY COUNCIL – Contact to be via POLICE if needed

03:18 Having a place at RIVERTON saved self and rest of family – Explained

03:43 Photos of self shown frequently in media – Didn't realise had become well-known Spoken to by many people

04:23 Visit to local store with a person who needed welfare help – Changing attitude of shop assistant – Described

05:27 Request for table in a corner when dining out – Explained

05:46 Difference of attitudes to self when in RIVERTON and in the city – Described

06:09 Built another place at RIVERTON – lived there thirteen years

06:31 Husband had own concrete business – Equipment used during disaster – Business not flooded Self not aware of what was actually done – Too involved with own activities

07:41 Message continually reinforced to husband “If there's a disaster I'm off” – Explained Training of others – Ability of families to cope with absence – Explained

08:36 Parts of CIVIL DEFENCE – WELFARE – COMMUNICATIONS – WARDENS – RESCUE – All voluntary POLICE – HEALTH DEPARTMENT – SUPPLIES All had representatives in Headquarters

10:07 All sections worked together in one room – DEBRIEF after the flood Claustrophobic in 'BUNKER' (Headquarters) – Conditions – Described

11:20 Did not write reports – Complete debrief when flood over

11:43 Award from CITY COUNCIL – First of CIVIC AWARDS in 1985 Certificate – Described Presented by MAYOR – Own family very proud Own feelings recalled

13:24 1913 – Mother grew up in GORE – Flood incident – Described Own grand-dad used horse and dray to rescue people in flooded areas – Described Grandfather received medal for helping floods

14:37 Attitude to dealing with people and human nature...

15:00 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 … Own feelings and attitudes – Described Ability to know right people for right jobs

01:13 Reactions of people in disasters will be the same wherever event happens CHINA – Mentioned

01:35 Own christian faith gave strength

02:14 On return from AUSTRALIA asked to speak to people in MATAURA – What to do if there was flood in MATAURA CHIEF WELFARE OFFICER for MATAURA upset at invitation to self – Explained 03:28 Self talked about things to do and those not to do if there was a flood. Two weeks later MATAURA (River) flooded – 1978 CHIEF WELFARE OFFICER on holiday in AFRICA Self and own teams called to help

04:10 GORE also affected (in 1978) – Mostly handled from GORE MATAURA welfare through INVERCARGILL

04:53 Recollections – Rescue of an elderly lady's parrot – Described Draw attention to importance of pets – Special rescue squads

06:25 Elderly man was born and lived in same house not going to move. Evacuation – Described

06:45 Effects on rescuers – Some required holidays

07:13 SOCIAL WELFARE took over welfare role no longer under CIVIL DEFENCE Many out of works – Jobs no longer existed

07:55 1978 floods in MATAURA – PAPER MILLS flooded – Invercargill Headquarters operating – Conditions – Described Drums of chemicals stored in mill – Retrieval by skindivers – Described BILL EARLEY – Mentioned

11:04 End of Track 6