GIS Key to Flood and Fire Management, Disaster Conference Told

Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is the key to reducing the social and economic tolls of flood, fire and extreme weather events, according to Esri Australia Principal Consultant for Financial Services Gary Johnson speaking at the Australian Property Institute’s (API) Natural Disaster Conference held in Sydney today.

Insurers, financial lenders, lawmakers, spatial industry experts, property experts and emergency services leaders attended the conference which was co-hosted by the Spatial Industries Business Association to discuss how to better understand and respond to the risks to property and life posed by natural disasters such as the recent Queensland floods.

Mr Johnson said the problem of managing natural disasters could be separated into five separate issues – mitigation, planning, managing the event itself, recovery and community engagement.

“Location is a common component within all industries and a consistent factor across all of these areas. GIS in turn is integral to meeting the challenge of each of these issues,” Mr Johnson said.

“GIS is a proven platform that can bring together all these issues and enable us to understand the relationships between our natural and built environments.

“For example, mitigation could involve builders or governments deciding where to build, or which areas to leave as flood plains.

“GIS can be used to layer flood data over development site maps to see where flood-lines are and which areas are impacted. Insurers could also use this information to determine which properties are at risk, who they will insure and at what cost.”

Mr Johnson said the current Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) online map, developed by Esri Australia, was an excellent example of the power of GIS derived location intelligence in communicating with the community during the recovery phase.

“The QRA application is a powerful tool for disseminating reconstruction information to the public,” said Mr Johnson.

“Users can see, via a series of interactive maps and layers, which roads, buildings, schools and other assets have been rebuilt and which areas are yet to be addressed.”

However, Mr Johnson said greater data sharing was needed between governments, industry, community and emergency services before the full potential of modern mapping technology could be realised to improve decision-making around natural disasters.

“That data also needs to be presented to the public in an appropriate format – such as the QRA flood map – to ensure the community is aware of the risks faced and equipped to take personal responsibility for their actions,” Mr Johnson said.

“There’s a lot of talk about the lack of available data, but I believe the real problem is the lack of collaboration between stakeholders.

“Ensuring that all commercial and government agencies can access the required data is essential to building appropriately, insuring appropriately, responding appropriately – and managing all aspects of natural disasters appropriately.”

Mr Johnson said the insurance industry, as well as government and community groups, have all voiced a need for the sort of insight made possible through GIS.

“I expect forums such as the API’s Natural Disaster Conference coupled with initiatives such as the Queensland State Government’s Flood Inquest and the Federal Government’s Natural Disaster Insurance Review will help to drive collaboration.”

The API’s Natural Disaster Conference was held at the Tattersalls Club, 181 Elizabeth Street, Sydney on June 3, 2011.

For more information on the conference, visit the API website.