The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) and the Brisbane City Council were presented with a Special Achievement in Geographic Information System Award at the annual Esri International User Conference in San Diego. The QFRS and Brisbane City Council were selected from an international pool of more than 100,000 nominated organisations to receive the coveted technology award.
Presented by world leading GIS company Esri Inc., the awards recognise the organisations’ significant contribution to the community, through their creative use of GIS during the 2011 Queensland disasters.
Esri Australia Managing Director Brett Bundock said the Queensland flood and cyclone disasters, which made headlines around the world, highlighted to millions the capabilities of GIS technology.
“The Australian spirit really shone through during what was an extremely difficult time and we are honoured to have partnered with these organisations,” he said.
Brisbane City Council was recognised for its interactive, online flood map which was widely used before, during and after the Brisbane floods in January.
The system compiled flood data from across disaster struck Brisbane – such as flood peaks, road closures and evacuation centres – onto a map to provide a comprehensive, real time picture of the flood.
This flood map was a key information source for emergency response teams and the Brisbane City Council, guiding recovery operations and supporting critical decisions.
More than three million members of the public accessed the map at the height of the crisis, to view the scope of damage and access important updates.
When the flood map went viral, it ushered in a new era in crisis communications, demonstrating how the technology could be used to effectively circulate critical information to a broad public audience in near real time.
Brisbane Council Manager Spatial Information Services Jeff Sangster and QFRS’ Mark Wallace accepted the awards in San Diego on behalf of their organisations.
