# Media Release

See below suggested content for your media release. You may simply copy and adjust contents to your council.

Please change the bulleted list of data feeds below to reflect your Council's individual disaster dashboard.

# Post Template

Disaster Dashboard alerts residents of emergencies

[council name] has launched a new online portal to help residents stay safe and receive live updates on any threat to the community – from local COVID-19 outbreaks to power outages.

The Disaster Dashboard combines real-time information from a range of emergency services all in one place. It makes it easier than ever for residents to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

A string of recent disasters – severe bushfires followed by a pandemic and heavy flooding – has put many communities across Australia on high alert. It underpinned the need for quick and reliable information.

“Whatever is going on, we want our residents to hear about it fast and make sure they know what to do,” said [council representative]. “With the Disaster Dashboard we can now achieve this. It’s our new one-stop-site for the most accurate, most up-to-date information about every possible hazard in our area.”

On the new dashboard, residents can track data on:

COVID-19 cases, local restrictions and vaccination clinics
Fires and floods
Road and bridge conditions
Water, power, gas and mobile network outages
Shark sightings and beach conditions
Air and water quality
Storms and weather warnings

The dashboard also includes short and sharp guidance on how to prepare for emergencies and where to find support after disaster has struck.

Disaster Dashboards have been made available to councils in Hunter, Mid Coast, Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and Canberra Region through the Regional Disaster Preparedness Pilot project, undertaken by Resilience NSW, to ensure local communities are better equipped to manage critical incidents. About 40 councils have already adopted the new dashboards.

Residents can visit their local Disaster Dashboard and bookmark the page at [disaster dashboard website address].

For more information:

[Insert media contact details]

PDF · Microsoft Word (.docx)

Please find below copy that can be used on your social media channels to promote the use of your Council’s Disaster Dashboard.

Please feel free to adjust the highlighted information to reflect the unique disaster risk your community is facing and the advice your dashboard will provide, including local COVID-19 outbreaks, bushfires, floods, storm surges, heatwaves, drought forecasts, dust storms, water shortages, shark alarms, traffic hazards and road closures, power outages, mobile network disruptions, police incidents and health warnings.

PDF · Microsoft Word (.docx)