"It was a complete eye-opener for all of us. It has made me realise that people should have an emergency kit with plenty of food, water and batteries.
"After looking at the houses in Christchurch, you realise how unprepared many of them were."
He has made up an emergency kit for his own family, in a bid to be prepared for a disaster in Dunedin.
"You think you're bullet-proof. You never think it will happen to you," he said.
"But it could, and we need to be prepared."
Mr Bryant was one of six firefighters from the Ravensbourne station who were dispatched to aid earthquake victims last week.
He, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Neale Davys, Station Officer Jason Bryant and Firefighters Daniel Pryde, Gemma Harris and Phil Warrington spent three days in Papanui, Burwood, Addington, Linwood, Aranui, Bexley, Cashmere, New Brighton and on the outskirts of the city centre, attending to insecure chimneys, gas leaks, alarm activations and liquefaction.
"It was harrowing. You see stuff on TV about the earthquake in Haiti. This was very similar.
"We didn't expect it to be that bad. But it was."
During their three-day stint in Christchurch, they attended 44 calls.
Mr Bryant said it was not yet known whether staff from the station would be needed again in Christchurch.
However, there would be no problems finding staff to go.
"There were more staff wanting to go to Christchurch last week than we could take.
"If they asked for more help, we could send another team."
