Updated emergency warning system to save lives on Northern Rivers in future floods and other disasters
A new emergency warning system is set to be rolled out after “delayed or non-existent” alerts left some in peril in the 2022 floods – but at least one North Coast MP has concerns.
Tweed Heads
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tweed Heads. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A new federal government emergency warning system is set to be introduced after “delayed or non-existent” alerts left some Northern Rivers residents in peril during the record 2022 floods.
Authorities recorded 22 deaths across eastern Australia in the wake of the disasters, including five in the Northern Rivers.
The new warning system will deliver emergency messages to all mobile devices in a specific area, regardless of the person’s service provider.
The government could essentially draw a 1km circle around a disaster site and send a message that “takes over” a device’s screen with the flagged new system.
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the new system would “help keep Australians safe” and mitigate property damage.
“During a fire, flood or cyclone we know every second is critical, so by giving residents and first responders more warning, we can give people the best chance possible,” he said.
“Emergency messages, alerts and warnings need to be delivered to the public in a timely, accurate and targeted manner. We need the most current technology to achieve this.”
Public Safety Mobile Broadband will replace the existing outdated voice-only networks which agencies such as NSW Police, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, and the Rural Fire Service currently use in disaster situations.
A NSW State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman said the upgrade would most impact cross-border communities, like Tweed-Coolangatta.
Each state currently has its own emergency alert system operating independently.
During the September rain event, that threatened a repeat of the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers, the SES sent out almost 400,000 texts in four hours, along with around 60,000 phone calls made. But the existing system has its limitations.
The current alert system is limited in how many messages can go out at one time, and how many times messages can go out, the spokesman said.
Jurisdictions often “compete” to get messages out in cross-border communities like the Tweed.
Richmond MP Justine Elliot said warnings about fast-approaching floodwaters have been either “delayed or non-existent, leaving many people to abandon their belongings and take refuge on their roof”.
“Communications between our brave emergency personnel were unreliable, which put their lives in danger as they worked tirelessly to save lives in our community,” she said.
Mrs Elliot said the upgrade would ensure northern NSW was better prepared to respond to future natural disasters.
“As a border region, we know that natural disasters do not stop at state borders,” she said.
Messaging from the states can bleed across the border, giving different information during an emergency.
The SES spokesman said having one system will help with consistent messaging and avoiding confusion during emergencies.
“Being able to provide tailored, timely and targeted information to the public helps save lives,” the spokesman said.
Tweed Heads MP Geoff Provest welcomed the upgrade, but said there were still fundamental issues to address.
He said it “wasn’t much good” having communication systems upgraded if the infrastructure was wiped out during significant flooding.
“Here in the Tweed, we get serviced with NBN and it all comes through a little place called Woodburn,” he said.
“And they built (infrastructure) in a pit and it all got flooded and shorted out.
“So for a while we didn’t have any telecommunications for upwards of a week or more, which was extraordinarily difficult.
“We were nearly back to carrier pigeons for a while there during the floods, that’s how grim it was.”
Mr Provest said he wanted to see funding directed towards making infrastructure more resilient to future flooding.
“It’s a step in the right direction, but there is urgently more to be done,” he said.
The government says the new warning system will be developed and tested over the next 18 months. It’s expected to be operational by 2024.
More Coverage
Originally published as Updated emergency warning system to save lives on Northern Rivers in future floods and other disasters
‘Good for the comp’: Rare scenes in LJ Hooker League
A slice of history made and a couple of teams put in statement performances as the LJ Hooker League kicked off over the weekend.
Police allege DV offender pulled knife after car chase
A Richmond Valley man who allegedly fled police in a Kia before he pulled a knife and was tasered is set to fight a raft of charges. Here’s the latest.