The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has unveiled a new suite of disaster-related information and content to help people prepare for emergencies this summer.
The ABC said its Emergency website now featured an interactive incident map that aggregated information from key emergency and support services.
Complementing its emergency broadcasting services, the ABC said a new 15-part podcast series After The Disaster would help people navigate the aftermath of a disaster and the challenges they faced.
Head of Regional, Rural and Emergency for the ABC, Hugh Martin said the Corporation was continually looking for ways to improve and extend its emergency broadcast services to meet the increased demand from communities affected by extreme weather events.
“We know people turn to the ABC to get critical information and we are there, with them, as the come together and rebuild after a disaster,” Mr Martin said.
“We have increased our national emergency broadcast team for the summer, based in Queensland, NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, and are well prepared for whatever this season will bring.”
He said the ABC had also integrated its national emergency team with its regional and capital city teams, who were the ones with expert local knowledge.
“In an emergency, your local radio station remains the most important source of information,” Mr Martin said.
He said the ABC Emergency information would be available on Amazon’s Alexa smart speaker from next month.
In partnership with Australian Red Cross, the ABC has also developed the Stay Connected Toolkit to help communities prepare for emergencies.
Available via the Red Cross and ABC Emergency websites, the resource offers practical tips including knowing your neighbours and connecting with your local ABC Radio station and ABC Emergency as key steps in any emergency plan.
The ABC’s Emergency website can be accessed at this PS News link.
