Disaster Masters Internationally Recognised for Life-Saving Role

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) and the Brisbane City Council (BCC) were today presented with a Special Achievement in GIS Award, at the annual Esri International User Conference.

The QFRS and BCC were selected from an international pool of more than 100,000 nominated organisations to receive the coveted technology award.

Presented by world-leading Geographic Information System (GIS) company Esri Inc., the awards recognise the organisations’ significant contribution to the community, through their creative use of GIS during the 2011 Queensland disasters.

Brett Bundock, the Managing Director of Esri Australia, said the Queensland flood and cyclone disasters, which made headlines around the world, highlighted to millions the capabilities of GIS technology. 

“The Australian spirit really shone through during what was an extremely difficult time and we are honoured to have partnered with these organisations,” said Mr Bundock.

The QFRS, a division of the Department of Community Safety, received the award for the innovative way GIS technology was incorporated into their internal systems, which formed the basis of the state’s largest emergency response.

The true value of GIS came from integrating large volumes of data from multiple sources including the Bureau of Meteorology, the Department of Environment and Resource Management and the Department of Transport and Main Roads, providing QFRS with a single view of how the disasters were likely to unfold, prior to the events fully running their course.
 
“The GIS provided the QFRS’ disaster management team with unprecedented foresight, enabling them to appropriately position emergency response crews and evacuate people in time,” said Mr Bundock.

“Through the creative application of GIS, QFRS’ team saved lives and property, and conducted rapid damage assessment and recovery.”

BCC was recognised for their interactive, online Flood Map which was widely used before, during and after the Brisbane floods in January.

The system compiled flood data from across disaster-struck Brisbane – such as flood peaks, road closures and evacuation centres – onto a map to provide a comprehensive, real-time picture of the flood.

Flood Map was a key information source for emergency response teams and the Brisbane City Council, guiding recovery operations and supporting critical decisions.

More than three million members of the public also accessed the map at the height of the crisis, to view the scope of damage and access important updates.

When the Flood Map went viral, it ushered in a new era in crisis communications, demonstrating how the technology could be used to effectively circulate critical information to a broad public audience in near real time.

BCC’s Jeff Sangster and QFRS’ Mark Wallace accepted the awards in San Diego on behalf of their organisations.

The Esri User Conference is regarded as the world’s premier spatial event and attracts more than 13,000 GIS professionals from around the globe.