March 15th 2019 - New Zealand public are introduced to terrorism

I was a know it all sixteen year old when I was introduced to terrorism in the shape of the IRA blowing up the British Passport office in Albert Street in Belfast. I worked in a "Mc Manaus Shoes" located the next street over, Ann Street, a short walk from the explosion that ripped through the heart of Belfast shoppers, with a two minute warning for the police to conduct an evacuation. The evacuation was underway when the bomb exploded that Friday afternoon. After the explosion, I nervously stepped out of the shop and made my way up Ann Street, my feet crunching on the shattered glass, dodging injured people and blood soaked stains, taking in the aftermath of flying glass meeting innocent people, mainly women. This is odd I thought, I mean I heard about the bombs and shootings every few days on telly and from the safety of mums house but here I was in the middle of a faceless but calculated attempt of blatant murder on innocent people but hey, it was for the cause!

Theres not many folk coming from Belfast that dosen't have a story or an event or two to share and talking to Kiwis when I first arrived in 2007, its like your from another planet when you share the events about the 80's and 90's of Northern Ireland and England. I have to say though, I saw right away that in New Zealand, people simply get on and want to live in peace and be happy with their family or what ever their situation was. Police don't carry guns, no helicopters in the sky day and night, now bullet proof sarson vehicles patrolling the streets, no news flashes on TV of a shooting or bombing. I think I have found peace.

For the next eight years I would live a fantastic lifestyle and dedicate myself to learning about New Zealand and furthering my career by making a difference for businesses and the people I work with. Then a tragedy that would rock me to the core and set in place a desire to make a difference. The date was 22nd February 2011, The Christchurch Earthquake. All Kiwis, no matter where you were in the world on that day, you know what you where doing when you heard the news. Sitting watching the events unfold, with a cup of tea in my home at Epsom in Auckland, I felt guilty seeing the suffering of many unfold in front of me and the complete devastation of a city. A city I had visited for a break away so many times before.

The destruction didnt stop there... Earthquakes would continue to rattle Wellington, Paraparaumu, Nelson and Christchurch. I was involved in so many clean up operations and engineer assessments to access properties and I got to hear first hand the impact the tragedies that followed the earthquakes. When you look into someones eyes and they are sharing with you that they are sleeping huddled together under a doorframe, cringing at every sound wondering if it's another earthquake... Their eyes are reliving the terrible ordeal of what they experienced. You cant even begin to express or explain that comprehensively.

I've visited Christchurch many times now and even after the earthquake on 22nd of February 2011, and there was one thing that always stood out for me and that was the peoples resilience. Even in their darkest hour so many told me that they would get through this, they would pick themselves up and that is very admirable and a reason why Christchurch and the people have a place in my heart. Of course HealthSafe as a business also comes from the events of Christchurch but it's the people that I value and wanted to help if it was ever needed again.

I could never have imagined that the dark days I had once lived through would ever visit the shores of New Zealand and on Friday afternoon, March 15th 2019, one of the darkest events occurred in Christchurch. An extremist attack on two Mosques leaving 50 dead and many wounded. I had been in Christchurch that week for a few days flying to Wellington late on the Wednesday evening. I landed back in Auckland at 2pm when I was told about what had happened. It was on all the radio stations, TV channels and anyone you met, was talking about it! I was watching the news and supporting our clients with SecurePass screen saving and showing them who was on site just to help them in any way I could. Again, this is another day where Kiwis will remember where they were when they learnt of the attacks.

So why the article? Terrorism is real and its here. We denied it to a certain degree, that it couldn't happen here but unfortunately it has. In my life and experience of the troubles, I have learnt that when it comes to extremists, they continually find a way and they don't stop. With the best will in the world and unity of the people we can show this hatred does not belong here and we to be honest, we have shown the world this. There is however one question I haven't heard asked and its such a crucial question... Is New Zealand ready if something of a similar nature happens again? The chaos that followed, the Lockdown process, ability to communicate to staff and they have the ability to advise they are safe, communicate regularly. These are key but crucial points that everyone I speak to from banks, retailers, commercial property owners to manufacturing plants. They all had the same issue.

I also believe as a business owner responsible for the safety of people that we also need to take a responsibility of our solutions and support businesses with these challenges. On March 16th, I met with my development team and explained the issues above and I froze all planned IT sprint development and approved a new framework within SecurePass that in seconds an SMS notification can be issued to staff, visitors and contractors advising of the lockdown as well as confirming they are safe. It took three weeks but now you are able to urgently communicate to your people of an emergency situation as well as have them confirm their safety. The solution also supports ongoing communication so you can update your people in real time with accurate updates they may need to know. Staff whom are in cafes or their role has them out of the office, you can communicate to them in seconds also.

Together we really can make a difference and whilst our government will do everything in its power to stop a repeat or an attack again, we need to prepare that if a threat against our people occurs, we are in the best position possible to protect them and give us a control that could be the difference between life and death.