A new flood-awareness campaign has launched in the Northern Rivers, says the NSW government, ‘to help residents prepare for future floods during “blue sky” times, when the weather is calm but the need to get ready is greatest’.
In a media release, they say, ‘Developed in partnership with the NSW Reconstruction Authority and NSW SES and in consultation with local councils and the community, Prepare Together, Stronger Than Ever encourages people across the Northern Rivers to take small, practical steps to get ready, whether that’s knowing their flood risk, understanding local warnings, making a plan, or looking out for each other’.
‘The campaign comes as new research shows 89 per cent of Northern Rivers residents expect future floods, yet one in three still feel unprepared and almost half have taken no action to get ready.
‘Delivered across press, social, radio, outdoor and digital channels, the campaign features local imagery and voices and highlights the shared resilience and connection of communities who have experienced floods before.
‘For the first time, Northern Rivers communities can access region-specific flood preparedness information, including new videos and practical tools, in one central location. This improved access to localised information will make it easier for residents to understand their flood risk and take practical steps to prepare.
‘The program is supported by a suite of community engagement activities including catchment videos explaining how floods behave in local areas, place-based toolkits for councils, Big Maps for community events, and an expanded Living Memory – Living with the River initiative with Living Lab Northern Rivers.
‘Other initiatives include preparedness days, a targeted program for communities living behind a levee in Maclean and Grafton, a schools’ partnership with Northern Rivers Performing Arts, a digital literacy program run through local libraries and local information noticeboards.
‘The Prepare Together, Stronger Than Ever campaign is an initiative of the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program and is funded by the Australian Government’, the media release says.
The campaign will be rolled out in the Northern Rivers from Sunday 9 November.
For more information and campaign assets please visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au/northernrivers
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
