Insights  into  strategies  &  issues  for  Community  Resilience  

Lew  Short  Group  Manager  Community  Resilience  

“The  world  has  entered  the  era  of  ‘mega  

crisis’  or  catastrophic  emergencies  whose  

force  and  magnitude  defy  even  the  best  

laid  plans  and  the  most  robust  response  

systems”  Professor  Paul  ‘t  Hart  

Public  policy  is  ge@ng  more  complex  

•  People  expect  informaBon  as  it  

arrives  

•  Our  previous  good  responses  may  

have  created  a  culture  of  

immediacy  in  the  community  

•  Over  the  next  100  years  projected  temperature  rise  is  

likely  to  be  greater  than  any  seen  

over  the  last  1000  years.    

•  There  will  be  less  water  in  South  

Eastern  Australia  and  

temperatures  will  rise  by  1.4  –  

5.8  decrees  Celsius  (BOM).    

Some  NSW  Fire  Seasons  

2002/03 2006/07 2009/10

Number of bush fires statewide 459 2,871 4,104

Duration of Bush Fire Emergencies (days)

151 days 113 days 118 days

Area Burnt (ha) 1,465,000 438,218 366,159

Residential Homes destroyed 86 8 24

Lessons  Learnt  from  Victoria  

•  Plain  language,  get  away  from  jargon  &  make  informaBon  accessible  

•  Speed  of  change  and  expectaBons  •  Challenge  of  ge@ng  informaBon  in  and  making  it  into  intelligence  

•  Is  it  enough  that  people  discuss  what  they  will  do,  do  they  need  to  have  a  wriZen  plan  

•  Can  community  make  decisions  in  Bmes  of  stress  

On  an  average  day:  •  47  billion  (non  spam)  emails  •  95  million  tweets  on  TwiZer  •  30  billion  pieces  of  content  

shared  on  Facebook  Source.  The  Emergence  of  a  New  Asset  Class.  World  Economic  

Forum  (2011)  

– The  Social  Media  landscape  can  be  

monitored  and  influenced,  but  not  

controlled.    

– ESO  need  to  become  part  of  the  

conversaBon.  

– Social  Media  is  an  important  tool  to  assist  in  

ge@ng  the  ‘Safety  Message’  out  to  the  

community.  

Limit  to  dire

ct  aZack  

Parallel  aZack  

Indirect  aZack  

Defen

sive  

Limit  to  safe  op

eraB

on  of  

helicop

ters  (~

50km

/h)  

PotenBal:  •   Loss  of  radio  &  telco  towers  •   Loss  of  situaBonal  awareness  

Capacity  of  community  to  receive  and  act  on  triggers  

Focus  on  suppression  

Focus  on  life  safety  

fires  on  the  ne

ws  

fires  on  the  ne

ws,  smoke  

Soon  to  be…    Principal  Emergency  Management  &  Resilience    Eco  Logical  Australia  

0419  203  853  Lew  Short    Lewshort14  Slideshare