Flood insights to strengthen community preparedness
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) has welcomed a report examining community experiences during the devastating 2022 Victorian Floods, highlighting among other things opportunities to strengthen emergency communications and improve engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
Published this week by National Hazards Research Australia, the research and report investigated the major flooding events in South Australia, Victoria and south-western New South Wales across late 2022 and early 2023, engaging directly with affected locals, local Aboriginal communities and Traditional Owner groups and CALD communities to understand their perceptions of each flooding emergency and the ensuing recovery process.
A survey of nearly 500 flood-affected Victorians conducted as part of the independent research completely separate to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2022 flood event in Victoria, found more than 40 per cent of Victorian respondents saw their homes seriously damaged or destroyed by the 2022 flooding event, with many subsequently displaced as a result.
Encompassing examples of both slow (South Australia) and rapid onset (Victoria and NSW) flooding, the research identified a host of consistent themes across the states, with respondents identifying communication gaps with Aboriginal and CALD communities which in some cases prevented community members from preparing for flood appropriately.
Since the 2022 flooding emergency, VICSES has applied a lessons learned approach to strengthen its community engagement and communication approaches and flood planning and response arrangements.
The research suggested seven strategies to improve flood preparedness, response and recovery in Australia, including the development of more effective communications strategies and messaging during floods, facilitating greater collaboration between emergency service agencies and communities and acknowledging and preparing for different flood types.
The findings also called for reform of the existing insurance process for flood-affected communities across these jurisdictions, addressing the disruptive nature of temporary housing, improving emergency accommodation and relief centres and improving access to flood-resilient building solutions in an affordable manner.
To read the full report, visit www.naturalhazards.com.au/news-and-events/news-and-views/flood-resilience-must-be-built-long-water-arrives-new-flood-report.
Quotes attributable to Alistair Drayton, VICSES Chief Officer Operations:
“As an end-user of this research, VICSES will continue to apply a lessons management approach to previous major emergencies while maintaining an eye to the future.
“These community insights will be carefully considered to inform future VICSES community engagement, communications, flood planning and response arrangements.”
