One of the many dangerous aspects of flooding comes well after the rain has stopped and the blue skies return. This was the case in Queensland and NSW after an intense downpour over a short period last week.
Well after the rain had stopped, rivers were still rising as runoff snaked across the waterlogged soil. Residents were being urged to keep their phones charged and up-to-date with the latest apps that could save their life.
So, what apps should we have on our phones during a flooding event?
BOM
The first app should be Bureau of Meteorology. Nationally, people should install the BOM app for Apple and Android devices and setup your notifications. You can select three locations for constant updates.
You can also select from list of warnings, including flood and fire.
As I discussed with Tim Gilbert on Sky News Weekend Edition, many people may not have this app on their phone because the native weather app serves their daily needs. But when it comes to emergencies, the BOM App is a resource that all Australians should have on their phones.
HAZARDS NEAR ME
In NSW, the Hazards Near Me App shows disaster areas on a map which really helps to visualise the scope of the emergency. The icons vary from ADVICE, WATCH AND ACT TO EMERGENCY WARNING which essentially means evacuate. It even gives a time when to leave.
You also create a watch zone for your area or where a family member lives. This is by far the best app to use in an emergency, if you live in NSW.
EMERGENCY PLUS
Emergency Plus is the other app all Australians should have on their phone. This shows all the emergency contacts and their numbers.
Emergency Plus comes with the what3words feature built in. Triple Zero (000) callers can confirm their exact location without having to read out a long string of coordinates.
The app will change your coordinates into a simple three word phrase. what3words has divided the world into 3 metre squares and given each one a unique three word identifier.