New community and business features for emergency management disaster dashboard

Livingstone Shire Council and Central Highlands Regional Council are introducing three new and interactive features to their online Disaster Dashboards.

Livingstone Shire Council and Central Highland Regional Council have both integrated the online Disaster Dashboard on their websites, which provide one point of contact for all of the important information relevant to disasters.

The updates have been established so community members can ask specific questions, view or upload images of disasters, sign up for opt-in notifications, or access the Business Portal.

Local Disaster Management Group Chair, Mayor Andy Ireland, said the innovative features would improve Council’s interaction with the community during times of disaster.

‘These features will enable Council to better connect with businesses and the community in a new and improved way using smartphone devices or desktop,’ Mayor Ireland said.

‘Residents and businesses can subscribe to these features and will be able to submit images of disaster-affected areas of Livingstone as well as ask questions and receive responses from the appropriate agency.

‘These images will provide valuable information to the emergency services to assist in the coordination of the disaster.

‘The Business Portal will give businesses the ability to manage and share important information such as opening hours, location, available items, and services on offer directly with the public in times of disaster.

‘Community members can find registered businesses through the interactive map on the Disaster Dashboard.

‘Council would like to thank the software team at Guardian IMS for installing these additional features to enhance meaningful engagement with our communities during the most crucial time. These important initiatives all form part of Council’s strategic approach to ensuring our communities have the best possible chance of recovery following a disaster.’

Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes said the joint initiative addresses challenges both regions faced in the 2019 bushfires.

‘The new features allow for an improved flow of information between people in the community, businesses, and disaster coordination agencies, some of the challenges both our regions faced,” Mayor Hayes said.

‘It’s thanks to the great partnership that the Central Highlands and Livingstone have in disaster management and funding from the CQ Bushfires Category C Flexible Funding Grant that both our communities can benefit from a better disaster dashboard.’

‘Although funding for this product has been provided by both the Australian and Queensland Governments, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of either Government’.

For more information visit the Emergency Management Dashboard.