Duty nurse manager David Henderson spoke of the moment hospital staff learned what had happened and the long night of response that followed. Photo / George Novak
Duty nurse manager David Henderson spoke of the moment hospital staff learned what had happened and the long night of response that followed. Photo / George Novak
Whakatāne Hospital staff who treated and cared for patients from the Whakaari/White Island eruption are sharing their account of that fatal day nearly one year ago.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Pete Chandler is hosting the media conference this afternoon with Whakatāne Hospital staff.
The December 9, 2019 eruption claimed the lives of 22 people.
Chandler said the eruption created a scenario that no one other than those involved could truly understand and "lasting challenges that come with stepping into the bridge when called to do so".
"Given that this is a situation that none of us had encountered before, not least for a rural general hospital, to suddenly with just minutes' notice, step up and become a trauma centre in the Eastern Bay, we did awesomely."
Chandler said everybody in the hospital played a unique part and "I want to just take the moment to celebrate you and your teams, everyone who works here".
"But this was a trauma, particularly for the Eastern Bay. It wasn't a one-off. It was a trauma on an embedded history ... there was a trauma on top of other events that have happened to the communities here and as we have talked about Whakaari in our teams, people talk about Edgecumbe floods, the Edgecumbe earthquake.
"I want to acknowledge those who have had layers of history which have contributed to their story."
Whakatāne Hospital staff prepare to relive what they went through in the aftermath of Whakaari/White Island's eruption. Photo / George Novak
Chandler also paid tribute to the wave of people who asked "how can I help?" in the days that followed, including off-duty doctors and nurses who volunteered their support.
Chandler also spoke of the emotional challenge of having to navigate "when you are in the midst of trying to save the lives and protect the wellbeing of those who are critically injured, of people that you know or know the whānau of. Of course that goes on as a trauma to our community.
"In those days, we overcame."
Forty-seven people were on the island when the volcano erupted, claiming the lives of 14 Australians, five Americans, one German and two New Zealanders.
Most of the dead and injured were day-trippers from the visiting Ovation of the Seas cruise ship.
Whakaari/White Island after the volcanic eruption. Photo / File
Today, some of the staff who were part of the hospital's response have shared their account of the day of the eruption.
Duty nurse manager David Henderson spoke of the moment hospital staff learned what had happened and the long night of response that followed.
"So many people from all parts of the hospital and wider health community, doing everything they could to help.
"The thing that really stands out for me is the compassion and humanity that the whole community displayed. I know that some staff are still affected by this event but they should know that they all contributed to give every patient a chance."
Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Pete Chandler. Photo / George Novak
Henderson said their thoughts and condolences went out to those families most impacted by the tragedy, "those whose lives were lost, and those whose lives were changed forever".
