DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 334/09
Friday, 09 October 2009
PADANG ASSIST ONE WEEK ON
One week after the Padang earthquake, Australian Defence Force (ADF) relief efforts
continue to deliver medical treatment, fresh drinking water and tonnes of
humanitarian aid into the region.
The ADF teams, which departed RAAF bases Darwin, Richmond and Amberley soon
after the earthquake, have quickly established themselves in the city of Padang and
outlying areas destroyed in the disaster, assessing medical and engineering needs.
RAAF C-130 Hercules, flying missions in and out of Padang from Jakarta, have
ferried 250 tonnes of equipment and emergency aid from United States, the United
Kingdom, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia so far.
With the co-operation of AusAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
the ADF has managed a graduated and measured response to the needs of the
earthquake victims.
The initial Commander Joint Task Force (CJTF) 629 Lieutenant Colonel Neil
Sweeney, says a big change is being made by the advance team.
“The ability of our people to get on the ground quickly and provide informed advice
about what the people need is a credit to their professionalism,” LTCOL Sweeney
said.
“Because of their initial work, we have been able to deploy the most appropriate
resources to the areas that need them the most.”
Initial assessments indicated that fresh drinking water was the number one priority for
the people of Padang as the local water treatment plant, supplying sixty percent of the
city’s water, had been damaged in the earthquake.
Darwin based 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, using an ADF water purification plant,
is now producing about 10,000 litres an hour of fresh water a day after arriving.
Tasting the water during a visit to the site, the Deputy Mayor Mr Mehyeldi
Ansarullah thanked the Australians for helping the people of Padang.
“The water tastes good. Thank you to all the Australians, it is very nice of you to help
us,” Mr Ansarhullah said.
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
“Thank you for solving our water problem, I have never seen water from the sea being
made into water you can drink.”
Further north of the city, 1 Health Support Battalion (1HSB) from Sydney has
established a Primary Health Care Team (PHCT) in the village of Sie Geringging.
With a staff of just 22 doctors, nurses and medics, the PHCT has been providing basic
medical care similar to that of an Australian doctor’s clinic, to help people in the outer
regions where primary health care has been limited.
Commanding officer 1HSB LTCOL Lachlan Sinclair says they are managing the
general health issues facing the local population.
“With so many people’s homes destroyed, we are looking at treating disease and
illness that is associated with living outside in community groups,” LTCOL Sinclair
said.
With local authorities shifting focus from rescue to recovery, the ADF continues to
provide essential water and health services as well as structural engineering
assessments.
Army and Air Force engineers from Darwin are currently inspecting government
buildings to assess the levels of structural damage as well as determining what work
can be done.
Once established, the engineers will focus recovery work on clearing irrigation
channels, repairing a damaged bridge, clearing rubble and debris from two schools.
The team will also construct a semi-permanent medical centre to be used by local
medical staff at Sie Geringging.
HMAS Kanimbla is planned to depart Darwin on the weekend, bringing its significant
medical facility, two embarked Sea Kings, a further Army engineers and various
landing craft to assist getting equipment ashore.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
