Analysis: Treading the fine line between urgency and care is frustrating, but saves lives

There are stories of people being pulled out of rubble weeks after an earthquake, but by and large they've had access to water, even if it's condensation.

There's an issue of time being of the essence and how long people can survive under the rubble.

There are medical issues too, because if someone has compression injuries it's dangerous to move them because of the build-up of toxins in their blood.

The teams on the ground will be working all the hours they can. You have to take breaks during such intense activities, but they will be working flat out.

Other workers are coming in from Australia and elsewhere, and the key is getting them to work systematically through all of the sites.

The control systems they have in place are important, ensuring teams are allocated to certain areas to meet their strengths.

From what I have heard on the radio, they certainly know what they are doing.

An earthquake in an urban environment can pose a challenge in terms of public health.

Cities are dependent upon services, and you need water and waste services available. There is a risk of disease spreading, but there will be contingency plans in place.

There's also the need for structures to be assessed by civil engineers.

The people carrying out the search and rescue operations are professional at it, even if it is not their full-time role. They are good at finding a balance between the urgency of the operation and taking care.

You want people doing it who have of the right mental aptitude and who can take a measured risk.

Being slow and meticulous saves more lives than rushing around. That can be frustrating for people looking on, but it is the best way.

We've learned this through more than 50 years of search and rescue, from the Blitz through to earthquakes and 11 September, 2001.

In the longer term, there are questions about what buildings have to be torn down and what is rebuilt. You look around the world and there are places where years and years later, there are still scars on the civic landscape. It can take time to decide what will happen, as it's an emotive subject and it's important to people.

There'll be a challenge in restoring the daily rhythms and the economic life of the city.Businesses will need to have their own continuity processes in place, and if shops aren't safe to access, then food will have to be provided.

• Peter Sweetnam is an independent relief and development consultant and a former emergency programme manager at Mercy Corps in Scotland.