Ever since MACS was officially launched on 21 Janauary 2010, after a trial period that commenced on 8 December 2009, there has been widespread interest in the concept. A Management Committee was formed on 13th December 2009 at a meeting attended by members of the community.

Smarter way for emergency alerts

Australians can access information about emergencies and disasters through a new government application for smartphones.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland launched the DisasterWatch app for both iPhone and Android smartphones at the 12th Australia Safer Community Awards in Canberra on Thursday.

Mr McClelland said the smartphone application would have the latest public information about disaster events via direct feeds from official state, territory and national sources.

He said the app could alert the 4.5 million Australians with smartphones about emergency warnings and finding disaster-related information.

"The take-up of smartphone technology has grown rapidly in Australia in the last 12 months and it is expected that by 2013, more people will access the internet via mobile devices than via desktop computers," Mr McClelland said.

He said developing the smartphone app was a priority with an ever increasing reliance on the internet and social media for information.

The app would also cut unnecessary calls to triple zero in a disaster, Mr McClelland said.

"Nearly half of all calls to triple zero are non-urgent calls and when a disaster happens, calls are requests for information about the disaster," he said.

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Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry

The Early Warning Network's submission to the Queensland Floods Commision of Inquiry is available here.

Lake Macquarie Submission to Senate Inquiry

Lake Macquarie City Council's Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the capacity of communication networks and emergency warning systems to deal with emergencies and natural disasters is available here.

Interest in MACS

Buchan Neighbourhood House in Gippsland, Victoria, is working towards implementing a MACS-type communication system. They have an established 'telephone tree' but have found it too slow and cumbersome to manage in practice. They have now established their own community website.

Lake Macquarie Council has expressed interest in the MACS concept. As part of Lake Macquarie Council's Sustainable Neighbourhoods program with comunity groups, they will be looking at ways in which the MACS concept can be of assistance, especially in 'at risk' areas.

National Emergency Warning System

'Emergency Alert'was launched on 2 December 2009. It is only to be used for major life-threatening emergencies. You can read the full media release of the announcement by the NSW Emergency Services Minister, Steve Whan, here.

The objective of MACS is to supplement and support other alert systems locally, including Emergency Alert.

NSW RFS has launched an iPhone Alert App.

Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan announced that NSW RFS launched an official RFS iPhone™ application designed to alert people to bush fire activity in NSW. The ‘Fires near Me’ app is available free of charge. More details here.