Auditor - risking life and limb

Jordan Pearson is an auditor with a difference. He’s been a member of Moore Markhams audit team in Christchurch for almost four years. However, it’s as a member of the NZ Response Team working with Canterbury Civil Defence that sees him in some tricky and life-threatening situations.

Most recently, Jordan spent seven days assisting with the Westport flooding, helping to check 1100 properties with an unknown number of residents and assisting with evacuations and one instance, carrying two children to safety.
In this instance, the water rose incredibly swiftly, rising from ankle to waist in a matter of minutes, with a strong flow that made navigating it on foot a real challenge.

This stint followed four days helping closer to home when floods deluged Ashburton and Jordan and his team spent four days there.

Jordan spends a great deal of his personal time training for first response situations – rope and water rescues, evacuations, medical support, river monitoring, cordon management, welfare checks, reconnaissance of traffic routes and even VIP escorts.

He has recently become an instructor in rope and water rescue and with his level of training, often leads local volunteer emergency services in crisis situations. He also works to coordinate spontaneous volunteers of locals and others who turn up to help out.

Jordan considers himself fortunate to be in a position to help others in dire situations and acknowledges Moore Markhams’ support in letting him take off to lend his specialist skills.

“It’s hard to see some things but there are moments where you know you’ve really made a difference for someone.”