Parapets, Politics, and Making a Difference: Lessons from Christchurch

Abstract

At 12:51 on 22 February 2011, 12 people died beside me. The parapet and facade of an unreinforced masonry building on the main street of Christchurch, New Zealand, crushed the bus that I was riding. I'm the only one left, the lucky 13th. My leg, my hand, and my soul will never be the same. I broke more bones than the surgeons were willing to count, spent two months in the hospital, and most of a year off work. I walked, slept, and dreamed in a fog for four years. It cost half a million dollars to save my left leg. I treasure that leg, scars and all, but still feel the earthquake in every step. In this opinion paper, I share my story—from the earthquake, to the Bright Light, to the Dark Place, to the hospital, to the Dalai Lama, to the halls of Parliament. I also share the story of a nation coming to grips with its home on the Ring of Fire. The story ends on 8 May 2016, when Parliament passed the new Building Act, complete with a ministerially titled “Brower Amendment” that halved the remediation time for unreinforced masonry parapets and other falling hazards. I conclude with the lessons I've learned on making a difference.

Potential non-disasters of 2021

“…In fact, Melbourne's pre-1979 buildings and districts appeared to be the most damaged, without precluding some damage to newer buildings and noting that DPM 31,5 significant earthquake destruction in this area remains a strong possibility (Geoscience Australia, 2019). Further work should map damaged buildings according to their age and code compliance while considering casualties that could have occurred such as from falling bricks, which killed many during Christchurch's 2011 shaking (Brower, 2017).…”