Pike River puts victims centre stage

A year ago, the Pike River mine disaster tested Police’s response to its victims and their families.

As a result of Pike River, Police is establishing a national team of family liaison officers who can be deployed at a moment’s notice. Photo: The Press

“This was the biggest loss of life we’d had in a single incident since the Erebus air crash more than 30 years ago,” says Inspector Wendy Robilliard, Manager of Victim Services based at PNHQ.

Greymouth staff deployed immediately to work closely with the victims’ families, providing them with information and making inquiries on their behalf. Wendy joined them soon after. At its peak the team numbered 26.

Information flow was critical. As well as twice-daily meetings, tools were introduced to help families feel connected - texts and emails that went to all family members at once, a secure families-only website and 0800 numbers for police and welfare service providers.

Lessons learned at Pike River were applied three months later after the 22 February Christchurch earthquake, when 60 family liaison officers were deployed within two days.

Now Police is establishing a national team of family liaison officers who can be deployed at a moment’s notice. Three members have been selected from each district, so those who are closest can set up a forward post as soon as disaster strikes anywhere in the country.

In the meantime, Greymouth officers Constable Terri Middleton, Constable Mike Tinnelly, Senior Constable Jos Sturkenboom and Wendy continue to liaise with Pike families as needed.

A monthly meeting alternates with a monthly e-newsletter, so families receive some form of contact from Police every couple of weeks. Care is taken to share video footage and other information with family members before it comes out in the Royal Commission or media, says Wendy.

“The level of other interaction depends on the family. Some I only talk to every six months, others it might be twice a week - but they know they can reach me when they need to,” says Wendy. The level of contact is reducing over time. This is a good sign which Wendy puts down to the support provided to the families of the 29 men by local welfare agency Focus Trust.

“With no bodies recovered this is an ongoing event for the families, who are drawn back into it every time it’s in the news. There’s no closure. Together with the Focus Trust we continue to support the families around how to integrate the death of their loved ones into their day-to-day lives in an effort to help them move forward,” says Wendy.

During more than a year’s close involvement, she says it’s taken a deliberate effort not to get emotionally involved. “From the word go I’ve been mindful of keeping clear boundaries. While I have great working relationships with all of the families, keeping my professional distance gives me the confidence to step back and deal with any issues that need to be managed. The Pike work still continues for me from a distance while I deal with the day-to-day demands of my current policing role.”