Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services, The Honourable Neil Roberts
17/01/2010 Campaign launched to promote new Emergency Alert warning system A public awareness campaign to inform Queenslanders of the new national Emergency Alert telephone based warning system will be launched today.
Acting Premier Paul Lucas said Emergency Alert can send text messages to mobile phones and automated voice messages to landlines warning people of severe and imminent emergencies, such as bushfires and cyclones.
"Emergency Alert has the capacity to send 18,000 text messages and 1000 voice messages per minute in areas at risk of serious or life-threatening events," Mr Lucas said.
"It is another method, in an existing suite of measures, we can use to warn people before and during critical incidents," he said.
"Messages distributed through Emergency Alert will contain basic details of the threat, clear recommended actions and advice on where to go for further information."
Mr Lucas said while Emergency Alert was an important tool for sending messages to the community, he stressed it would not replac e existing warning systems.
"Our emergency services staff and volunteers will continue to engage the community during emergency events through traditional methods like local radio broadcasts and doorknocking," he said.
"Emergency Alert is another tool we have to warn Queenslanders, and we'll continue to use all those other methods as appropriate.
"It is important to remember that Emergency Alert is only a warning, and does not reduce the need for people to be prepared with their own emergency plan in place."
Mr Lucas said the system had undergone extensive testing to ensure it was functional and reliable for use during emergencies.
"The Department of Community Safety has advised me that initial issues experienced in a trial at Esk during December have now been addressed and subsequent testing has gone smoothly," he said.
"The survey shows strong evidence that the trial was successful in getting the message across to the targeted Esk community."
Mr Lucas said the campaign would focus on creating awareness of Emergency Alert through television, print, radio and online advertising.
"The campaign is designed to let people know about the system and that messages delivered will direct them on what to do during critical incidents.
"The radio component of the advertising campaign will also be broadcast in a number of foreign languages to ensure these communities understand the new system."
Mr Lucas said Queensland had been working with the Federal Government and other states and territories through COAG on a nationally-consistent telecommunication warning system for a number of years.
The recommendation of such a system in the interim report into the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in February last year added greater impetus to the system's development.
Anyone wanting to know more about the Emergency Alert system can log on to www.emergencyalert.gov.au
17/01/2010 Campaign launched to promote new Emergency Alert warning system A public awareness campaign to inform Queenslanders of the new national Emergency Alert telephone based warning system will be launched today.
Acting Premier Paul Lucas said Emergency Alert can send text messages to mobile phones and automated voice messages to landlines warning people of severe and imminent emergencies, such as bushfires and cyclones.
"Emergency Alert has the capacity to send 18,000 text messages and 1000 voice messages per minute in areas at risk of serious or life-threatening events," Mr Lucas said.
"It is another method, in an existing suite of measures, we can use to warn people before and during critical incidents," he said.
"Messages distributed through Emergency Alert will contain basic details of the threat, clear recommended actions and advice on where to go for further information."
Mr Lucas said while Emergency Alert was an important tool for sending messages to the community, he stressed it would not replac e existing warning systems.
"Our emergency services staff and volunteers will continue to engage the community during emergency events through traditional methods like local radio broadcasts and doorknocking," he said.
"Emergency Alert is another tool we have to warn Queenslanders, and we'll continue to use all those other methods as appropriate.
"It is important to remember that Emergency Alert is only a warning, and does not reduce the need for people to be prepared with their own emergency plan in place."
Mr Lucas said the system had undergone extensive testing to ensure it was functional and reliable for use during emergencies.
"The Department of Community Safety has advised me that initial issues experienced in a trial at Esk during December have now been addressed and subsequent testing has gone smoothly," he said.
"The survey shows strong evidence that the trial was successful in getting the message across to the targeted Esk community."
Mr Lucas said the campaign would focus on creating awareness of Emergency Alert through television, print, radio and online advertising.
"The campaign is designed to let people know about the system and that messages delivered will direct them on what to do during critical incidents.
"The radio component of the advertising campaign will also be broadcast in a number of foreign languages to ensure these communities understand the new system."
Mr Lucas said Queensland had been working with the Federal Government and other states and territories through COAG on a nationally-consistent telecommunication warning system for a number of years.
The recommendation of such a system in the interim report into the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in February last year added greater impetus to the system's development.
Anyone wanting to know more about the Emergency Alert system can log on to www.emergencyalert.gov.au
