Published on Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at 8:24:54 AM
A major new community awareness campaign highlighting the benefits of advance planning to increase community safety and reduce the risk of flood damage to residents, businesses and communities is launched today by the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC).
The ‘Flood Aware. Be Prepared’ campaign will provide participating councils in Perth’s Eastern Region and other riverside local governments with tools and messaging to communicate updated flood risk mapping to their residents, businesses and the general community. The objective is to build resilient communities by consistently raising awareness of the flood risks associated with the Swan and Helena Rivers.
Earlier in 2021 the EMRC successfully secured a Commonwealth-State National Disaster Resilience Program (NDRP) grant for the ‘Flood Aware. Be Prepared’ awareness program. The project was funded through the Natural Disaster Resilience Program of the Commonwealth Government of Australia and support from the WA State Emergency Management Committee.
Since 2017, the campaign’s collaborating councils, including EMRC member Councils Town of Bassendean, City of Bayswater, City of Swan, together with City of Belmont, City of South Perth and Town of Victoria Park and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), have worked with consultants BMT Group on the Swan and Helena Rivers Understanding Flood Risk Project.
The ‘Flood Aware. Be Prepared’ campaign is one of the outcomes of that project. Its timeline will see an advertising campaign run over an eight-week period, introducing a set of videos designed for social media sharing and Council-specific brochures aimed at raising community awareness of the hazards of flooding, with practical suggestions for household preparations to help make them more flood-resistant.
The campaign’s objectives are to provide:
- Increased overall community knowledge about flood hazards and risks
- Faster and better response during flood events
- Community identification of high-risk flood zones
- Improved flood risk awareness and event preparations
- Early identification of potential flood events
- Dangers of floodwater
Each Council’s brochure will include an explanation of the differences between frequent, rare and very rare events and suggest preventative measures to minimise the risk of flood damage to property. They will also include a list of eight key actions for residents if flooding is likely.
EMRC CEO Marcus Geisler said, ‘The campaign is the result of intensive work carried out by participating Councils, DFES and our consultants BMT Group.
‘Working with State and Local Governments to implement sustainable resilience programs across Perth’s Eastern Region is a priority for the EMRC, especially with the risk of flooding’s potential to devastate our communities, people, pets, animals and infrastructure.
The ‘Flood Aware. Be Prepared’ campaign videos and brochures are available to view and download at www.floodawarebeprepared.com.au .
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