„Tsunado” — Tsunami Alert System as a „Life-Saving Technology“ for NZ Dwellers

$500,000 of taxpayer money invested over three years from a government agency named Callaghan Innovation and 18 months’ development in conjunction with two Civil Defense groups, created a compact radio alert unit. This unit is intended to be used in offices and homes, to distribute alerts in a civil emergency, such as fires, floods, chemical spills, and the ever-present threat of tsunamis.

According to Prime Minister John Key a tsunami alert system is necessary for the national security. But can the country’s citizens feel secure, if there is simply a technological system spreading warning signals all over the nation? Should the New Zealanders completely trust in this system created and constructed by human beings, thus being highly susceptible to human error?

There are two main issues to address — speed with which an alerting system can create available information and disperse a warning signal. Even the best system could take a while to figure out whether a tsunami is on its way and it is difficult to ensure that an appropriate warning would reach everyone in the nation in time.

What the inhabitants of New Zealand really need is an elaborated concept. As families, companies and others know how to deal with fires, they should have concepts, of what they have to do beforehand. The people must know that there are numerous things they can do to make sure they stay safe during a tsunami. For example:
- avoiding close vicinity to the coast or beach
- if possible move at least one kilometer away from coast and all beaches
- go to higher grounds, at least ten meters above sea level
- take only essential items like medical supplies or food with you
- if you cannot leave the area you should take shelter in the upper story of a sturdy brick building
- if there is enough time, you should check that your neighbors are aware of the situation
- and last but not least, tune radio and other communication devices on to stay up to date

Two years ago, it would have been a „critical component of a public alerting system,“ said John Hamilton, the director of Tsunado, thus the citizens of NZ should heed his quote.

Tsunami alert systems can be an additional help to save lives, but they shouldn’t replace a critical human mind.