@article {bnh-7980, title = {Black Summer - how the NSW community responded to the 2019-20 bushfire season}, number = {651}, year = {2021}, month = {05/2021}, pages = {130}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

The 2019-20 bushfire season saw unprecedented, destructive bushfires across New South Wales (NSW). After an early start to the fire season in August 2019, fires spread south from the Queensland border to the Victorian border over the course of spring and summer. Tens of thousands of people were displaced by the fires, including residents, tourists and visitors to affected areas. Significant rainfall in early February 2020 helped contain the fires by February 13 and brought an end to the most deadly and destructive fire season in NSW history. Tragically, 26 people lost their lives in the fires, including four NSW RFS volunteers and three US aerial firefighters. Many more people were affected by smoke, including in regional areas and major population centres such as the north coast, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Wollongong. By season{\textquoteright}s end, fires had burned a record 5.5 million hectares of NSW and destroyed 2,448 homes (NSW RFS 2020). Community and commercial buildings and infrastructure were also significantly impacted on. The fires adversely affected many industries, including agriculture, forestry and tourism.

The NSW RFS engaged the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre to conduct research into community preparedness, warnings and responses to the 2019-20 NSW bushfires. The NSW RFS identified eight key themes for investigation, including: (i) risk communication; (ii) effect of prolonged and repeated exposure to bushfire on planning, preparation and responses; (iii) effect of previous experience and exposure to bushfire on planning, preparation and responses; (iv) sheltering practices; (v) experiences of tourists and visitors; (vi) awareness and attitudes toward bushfire risk reduction; (vii) building standards; and (viii) community recovery and resilience.

This report presents findings from research into community attitudes and experiences of the 2019-20 bushfire season undertaken for the NSW RFS. The NSW RFS Statement of Work identified the following themes and questions for investigation:

}, keywords = {Bushfire, communication, communities, Community safety, education, Fire, Warnings}, isbn = {978-0-6482756-9-5}, issn = {651}, author = {J Whittaker and Katharine Haynes and Wilkinson, Carrie and Matalena Tofa and Tasmin Dilworth and Jessica Collins and Lillian Tait and Stephanie Samson} } @article {bnh-8202, title = {Cultural land management in southeastern Australia - Black Summer final report}, number = {704}, year = {2021}, month = {09/2021}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

The Cultural land management research in southeast Australia project aimed to develop foundations for Indigenous-led and co-designed research programs to support cultural land management into the future. The project explored how to empower and enable Indigenous-led cultural fire and land management practices to improve landscape management and community resilience in southeast Australia.

To these ends, the project team convened a Project Steering Group (PSG) of cultural land management experts and advisors currently engaged in cultural fire management operations or research in New South Wales and Victoria. It also convened a Government Advisory Group and a Research Advisory Group to assist with advice where appropriate. As well as meetings of these Groups, the other key project activity was the conducting of several workshops in select sites to progress regional conversations regarding the potential for Indigenous-led cultural fire and land management research.

Overall, on the basis of these activities, this project concludes that research projects and institutes relating to land and fire management need to proceed from core understandings that:

Further, this project report makes 10 recommendations for action by Natural Hazards Research Australia and research partners to support cultural land management and Indigenous-led and co-designed research programs into the future:

  1. Formal acknowledgement by research organisations of the equivalent value of Indigenous knowledge, practice, and science to Western understandings/knowledge systems. Respect and Recognition of knowledge-holders and cultural land management practice
  2. Recognise the holistic and highly diverse context of Indigenous ways of being and Caring for Country
  3. Make clear commitments to supporting Indigenous people to get on Country and engage in cultural stewardship practices to build the resilience of Country and people\ 
  4. Establish an Indigenous Research Strategy with dedicated research streams/project areas for cultural stewardship research within Natural Hazards Research Australia{\textquoteright}s research agenda that supports Indigenous-led research pathways.
  5. Create avenues to recognise Traditional Owners as research partners/end-users of research funded by Natural Hazards Research Australia
  6. Include Indigenous voice and representation in governance structures of institutions and land management agencies
  7. Establish meaningful and ongoing pathways for Traditional Owner inclusion and consultation, to ensure research agendas and processes reflect Traditional Owner aspirations and priorities
  8. Development of a framework of broad research principles/protocols and processes to guide more ethical and collaborative cultural land management research
  9. Embed multiple aspects of capacity building into research frameworks and processes
  10. Support opportunities for developing Indigenous governance, collaboration, and knowledge sharing

These recommendations are further explained in the Key Findings and Recommendations section below.

We propose a staged approach to utilising this project and these recommendations, to be guided by the project team and an interim Indigenous Research Committee (IRC) consisting of Project Steering Group members:

  1. present the key findings and recommendations to the Natural Hazards Research Australia executive as the basis for developing an Indigenous research strategy
  2. establish Terms of Reference for the Indigenous Research Committee (IRC)
  3. work with the Natural Hazards Research Australia to identify priority recommendations and research projects for implementation in the short, moderate, and longer terms
  4. work with the Natural Hazards Research Australia to identify the resource requirements to implement the recommendations and research projects
  5. co-develop with Indigenous partners and Natural Hazards Research Australia representatives, a cultural land and fire management research agenda and priorities.

1.\ \ \ \  Formal acknowledgement by research organisations of the equivalent value of Indigenous knowledge, practice, and science to Western understandings/knowledge systems. Respect and Recognition of knowledge-holders and cultural land management practice

2.\ \ \ \  Recognise the holistic and highly diverse context of Indigenous ways of being and Caring for Country

3.\ \ \ \  Make clear commitments to supporting Indigenous people to get on Country and engage in cultural stewardship practices to build the resilience of Country and people

4.\ \ \ \  Establish an Indigenous Research Strategy with dedicated research streams/project areas for cultural stewardship research within Natural Hazards Research Australia{\textquoteright}s research agenda that supports Indigenous-led research pathways.

5.\ \ \ \  Create avenues to recognise Traditional Owners as research partners/end-users of research funded by Natural Hazards Research Australia

6.\ \ \ \  Include Indigenous voice and representation in governance structures of institutions and land management agencies

7.\ \ \ \  Establish meaningful and ongoing pathways for Traditional Owner inclusion and consultation, to ensure research agendas and processes reflect Traditional Owner aspirations and priorities

8.\ \ \ \  Development of a framework of broad research principles/protocols and processes to guide more ethical and collaborative cultural land management research

9.\ \ \ \  Embed multiple aspects of capacity building into research frameworks and processes

10.Support opportunities for developing Indigenous governance, collaboration, and knowledge sharing

These recommendations are further explained in the Key Findings and Recommendations section below.

We propose a staged approach to utilising this project and these recommendations, to be guided by the project team and an interim Indigenous Research Committee (IRC) consisting of Project Steering Group members:

1.\ \ \ \  present the key findings and recommendations to the Natural Hazards Research Australia executive as the basis for developing an Indigenous research strategy

2.\ \ \ \  establish Terms of Reference for the Indigenous Research Committee (IRC)

3.\ \ \ \  work with the Natural Hazards Research Australia to identify priority recommendations and research projects for implementation in the short, moderate, and longer terms

4.\ \ \ \  work with the Natural Hazards Research Australia to identify the resource requirements to implement the recommendations and research projects

5.\ \ \ \  co-develop with Indigenous partners and Natural Hazards Research Australia representatives, a cultural land and fire management research agenda and priorities.

}, keywords = {Australia, cultural, indigenous, land, management, southeast}, issn = {704}, author = {Oliver Costello and Tasmin Dilworth and Katharine Haynes and Tony Jansen and Timothy Neale} } @article {bnh-7824, title = {Flood risk communication - final project report}, number = {645}, year = {2021}, month = {01/2021}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

The context for the research

The\ focus of this research project was informed by the findings of earlier BNHCRC research that investigated human fatalities from natural disasters (Haynes et al., 2017). This project focused on the two behaviours most frequently associated with flood fatalities:

  1. Driving into floodwater in a motor vehicle, and
  2. Recreating in floodwater.

Although there were pockets of information and more detailed knowledge about these behaviours held in some jurisdictions, there was no national picture of either the details surrounding vehicle-related flood fatalities or the incidence of these two general behaviours and the detailed contexts in which the public enters floodwater. Therefore, by studying the general public more comprehensively, there was an opportunity to quantify behaviours and identify the potential challenges and additional levers for communicating flood risk, as well as enabling greater insight into differences across Australia (both within and across jurisdictions).

In addition, the information that was already known about behaviour in floodwater related solely to the general public. Emergency services, in particular State Emergency Services (SES) personnel, were previously identified as an at-risk group for entering floodwater and flood fatalities.

In the context of established approaches to the investigation of risk perception, comprehension, and risk-taking behaviour, SES personnel represent an {\textquoteleft}expert{\textquoteright} group. This meant they could also provide insights about risk perception and risk communication when studied and compared to the {\textquoteleft}lay public{\textquoteright} (expert-novice paradigm), for example enabling identification of differences in use of words/ language, conceptualisation of {\textquoteleft}flood{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}flooded roads{\textquoteright}, and identification and use of environmental cues when judging flood risk.\ 

Finally, as a risk group there is an organisational imperative to study the behaviour of SES personnel entering floodwater when on/off duty. This research supports the evaluation, understanding, and provides opportunities to assist in the mitigation of a range of organisational risks, including

This project commenced in July 2017 and comprised broad two phases:

  1. Understanding behaviour in and around floodwater, and
  2. Collating flood risk communications and co-developing Community Service Announcements (CSAs) for flood for use in National broadcasting by the ABC.

Project strategy for research and collaboration

The research strategy involved a suite of research studies, and employed mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, including experimental research, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews employing a mental models approach to ensure the research problem is well understood, the needs of those at risk could be met, and knowledge is co-produced with end-users and community.

Consultation and collaboration with key stakeholders and various end-users were key aspects of the overall research approach and helped to determine the research foci through the lifetime of the project. Following this collaborative approach, the research was responsive to stakeholder contexts. This enabled the team to take advantage of opportunities to explore some new topics in greater depth (e.g., SES behaviours around floodwater), but has also meant there were some delays and changes to the planned research activities (e.g., being unable to progress some approaches and outputs due to COVID-19). As a consequence, some of the resulting outputs and projects differ to the outputs outlined at the start of the project.

Project overview - extending what is known and addressing the gaps

Previous research has established that floods in Australia are a significant, and often preventable, cause of death, and this research has provided some useful insights to the risk perceptions and planned behaviour among the public in relation to driving and floodwater (Fitzgerald, Du, Jamal, Clark, \& Hou, 2010; Hamilton, Peden, Pearson, \& Hagger, 2016; Haynes et al., 2017).

This project builds on existing knowledge in several important ways:

Overall, these various studies highlight some of the complexity and challenges in flood risk communication and flood risk assessment and factors that need to be considered when developing communication materials. The detailed nature of the data collected also provides insights to how interventions and flood risk communication and engagement work can be targeted.

A snapshot of key findings

As the project\ comprised a number of studies it also generated a substantial number of findings and insights. These have been condensed into a series of practitioner-focused Research into Practice Briefs. In addition, the BNHCRC Communications Team has developed a short series of videos to showcase some key research findings and augment these Briefs.

A snapshot of key findings across the various studies is provided below:

Areas for research utilisation

This\ project provides an in-depth understanding of how the public and emergency service professionals (SES) behave around, and understand the risks of, floodwater. The translation of these findings into utilisation and impact is an ongoing process that will continue beyond the formal end of the research.\ 

There are four main areas of research utilisation that are being pursued:

In addition\ to the above areas of potential and emerging utilisation, the project team has worked actively with end-users and a range of additional stakeholders to co-produce project outputs, including conference presentations (Taylor, Wiebusch, Tofa, Haynes; AFAC 2019) and co-authored peer-reviewed articles (Taylor, Tofa, Haynes, McLaren, Readman, Ferguson, Rundle, Rose, 2019).

Research Capacity Building

The\ research project team has also supported research capacity building through the mentoring and inclusion of students in research activities, including a successful PhD completion (Ahmed, 2019), five Masters of Organisational Psychology students, two psychology honours students, and a number of short-term research and engagement placements. The project funding has supported early career researchers (ECRs) and has enabled these ECRs and students to progress through co-authored peer-reviewed publications and utilisation outputs, i.e., Research into Practice Briefs.

}, keywords = {communication, communities, Flood, risk}, issn = {645}, author = {Mel Taylor and Matalena Tofa and Katharine Haynes} } @article {bnh-7811, title = {Driving into floodwater: using data from emergency responders to inform workplace safety policy and practice}, journal = {Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {35}, year = {2020}, month = {10/2020}, pages = {26-34}, abstract = {

Since 2001, approximately 45 per cent of all flood fatalities in Australia are attributed to people entering floodwater in motor vehicles. This behaviour is considered high-risk and avoidable. However, for emergency services personnel performing their duties, there may be additional pressure to take on such risks. In Victoria, the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is the control agency for floods and storms and its personnel encounter floodwater frequently. At an organisational level, good workplace health and safety practices are fundamental and duty of care is of paramount importance. VICSES personnel are discouraged from driving through floodwater; an exception being when responding to life-threatening situations. Doing so exposes staff to personal harm and driving through floodwater in work vehicles can result in vehicle and equipment damage. There is also the potential for VICSES reputation damage if people observe VICSES personnel driving into floodwaters and not heeding safety advice to {\textquoteright}never drive (walk, or ride) through floodwater{\textquoteright}. This raises public safety concerns if people take similar risks. This paper presents findings from a larger study into the circumstances in which SES personnel drive through floodwater in SES or private vehicles. Outcomes from this research will inform policy, practice and training to improve safety, keep staff and equipment safe and model good practice in communities.

}, keywords = {data, Driving, emergency responders, floodwater, Policy, practice, workplace safety}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-october-2020-driving-into-floodwater-using-data-from-emergency-responders-to-inform-workplace-safety-policy-and-practice/}, author = {Mel Taylor and Tim Wiebusch and Benjamin Beccari and Katharine Haynes and Mozumdar Arifa Ahmed and Matalena Tofa} } @article {bnh-6697, title = {Duty or safety? Exploring emergency service personnel{\textquoteright}s perceptions of risk and decision-making when driving through floodwater}, journal = {Progress in Disaster Science}, volume = {5}, year = {2020}, month = {01/2020}, abstract = {

Vehicle-related flood fatalities and rescues due to driving through floodwater are a significant emergency management issue for emergency services. To reduce fatalities, injuries, and costs associated with this risky driving behaviour it is essential to develop strategies to stop or reduce the incidence of people driving through floodwater. In Australia, people are told not to enter floodwater {\textendash} on foot or in vehicles {\textendash} with the phrase {\textquoteleft}If it{\textquoteright}s flooded, forget it{\textquoteright} widely used in official messaging. As first responders responsible for floods, storms and tsunamis, Australian State Emergency Service (SES) personnel are working in flood conditions regularly and are considered an occupationally {\textquoteleft}at-risk{\textquoteright} group for driving through floodwater. Although SES agencies across states and territories in Australia are independently led, they typically promote policies of not entering floodwater to their personnel. Such policies are important for meeting duty of care obligations to employees, for protection of assets (vehicles and equipment), and for upholding organisational reputation (leading by example). This study was undertaken to explore the behaviour of driving through floodwater by SES personnel. The study explored the characteristics of those who have and have not driven through floodwater, and then used detailed situations in which SES personnel entered floodwater in vehicles to analyse their perception of risks, the conditions and contexts in which they entered floodwater, and to identify what influenced their decision to enter.

Following an earlier systematic literature review, a detailed online questionnaire was developed and administered to SES personnel from a single agency. Data from 670 respondents indicated that 54.8\% had driven through floodwater in the previous two years, and a number of differences in the profile of those who had/had not driven through floodwater were identified. Those more likely to have driven through floodwater included males, volunteer personnel with longer lengths of service, those doing more driving hours per week, those deployed to work in flood conditions, and those with current flood rescue qualifications. The location type, water depth, and water velocity were conditions that contributed more to perception of risk at the time personnel drove through the floodwater. Detailed information about an experience of entering floodwater was obtained from 201 respondents who had driven through floodwater in SES vehicles, and six factors relating to the decision to drive through floodwater were extracted. {\textquoteleft}Organisational training and safety{\textquoteright}, {\textquoteleft}External locus of control{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}Absence of risk signals{\textquoteright} were identified as having the greatest influence on risk perception leading to decisions to drive through floodwater. The findings of the study have a number of practical implications for the improvement of occupational safety management; such as upgrading risk assessments strategies, reviewing workplace health and safety policies, enhancing training, increasing skills and knowledge of emergency services personnel about floodwater hazard situations, and improving internal flood risk communication.

}, keywords = {Decision making, Driving, emergency services, floodwater, Occupational safety, Risk perception}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2020.100068}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061720300053?via\%3Dihub}, author = {Mozumdar Arifa Ahmed and Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa and Gemma Hope and Mel Taylor} } @inbook {bnh-7841, title = {Sensing bushfire: Exploring shifting perspectives as hazard moves through the landscape}, booktitle = {Weather: Spaces, Mobilities and Affects}, year = {2020}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, chapter = {12}, abstract = {

Bushfires are an enduring part of the Australian landscape. While much research has explored community preparations and responses to disasters, there is little understanding of sensory engagements with hazards. In this chapter, we explore interviews with residents who had recently experienced a bushfire in Tathra, a small seaside town in south-eastern Australia. These interviews contain rich details of the sounds of the wind and fire and the smell of smoke inter alia that constitute embodied and sensory engagements with the bushfire. We focus on these bodily experiences to rethink the mobilities of people, boundaries and hazard {\textquoteleft}events{\textquoteright}. We suggest that a focus on sensory experiences of hazards provides a fuller understanding of more-than-human (im)mobilities and the continual becoming of place.

}, keywords = {affects, Bushfire, mobilities, sensing, space, weather}, issn = {9780367406394}, url = {https://www.routledge.com/Weather-Spaces-Mobilities-and-Affects/Barry-Borovnik-Edensor/p/book/9780367406394}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa and Joshua McLaren} } @article {bnh-6760, title = {Understanding bushfire risk, warnings and responses: lessons from the 2018 Reedy Swamp fire}, number = {518.2020}, year = {2020}, month = {03/2020}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {East Melbourne}, abstract = {

On Sunday 18 March 2018 a bushfire impacted on the communities of Reedy Swamp and Tathra in the Bega Valley Shire on the NSW south coast. The fire, known as the Reedy Swamp Fire, destroyed 65 and damaged 48 homes. 35 caravans and cabins were also destroyed. The fire displaced approximately 700 residents on the day, as well as an unknown number of tourists and visitors to Tathra. Fortunately no human lives were lost.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) commissioned the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre to undertake research into community preparedness and responses to the Reedy Swamp Fire. The University of Wollongong and Macquarie University were engaged by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre to conduct this research.\ \ 

Themes covered in\ this research are community understanding\ of fire risk, planning, preparation, and\ responses during and after the fire.

Key findings centre around the need to\ educate people further about the role that\ embers play in spreading bushfire into built-up\ areas, the dangers of late evacuation,\ providing greater clarity in official warning\ messages and how warnings may not be\ delivered in the event of power or technology\ failure. The study found that many people\ consider bushfire preparation as something\ that is undertaken when directly threatened\ by fire, not well in advance of an active\ threat. Many people within Tathra had not\ hought that a bushfire could impact the\ town, or had not considered the potential\ for fire to penetrate beyond the bush at the\ western edge of town. The research found\ that many of those who left at the last\ moment said they would leave earlier in a\ future bushfire and would be more prepared\ to gather animals and valuable items to take\ with them when they evacuated.

Download the Hazard Note summary of the research findings.

}, isbn = {978-0-6482756-4-0}, issn = {518}, author = {J Whittaker and Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa and Wilkinson, Carrie and Mel Taylor} } @article {bnh-7473, title = {Vehicle-related flood fatalities in Australia, 2001{\textendash}2017}, journal = {Journal of Flood Risk Management}, volume = {13}, year = {2020}, month = {04/2020}, abstract = {

This study analyses the circumstances of vehicle-related flood fatalities between 2001 and 2017, in Australia. The research identified 96 deaths from 74 incidents during this period. The aim of this analysis is to understand the demographic, spatial and temporal patterns, and the situational conditions in which those (n\ = 96) deaths have occurred. This is important for informing efficient and strategic risk reduction strategies to reduce vehicle related deaths and injuries in floodwater. Data were accessed from the Australian National Coronial Information System (NCIS), which includes witness and police statements, forensic documents, and detailed coronial findings. Analysis was conducted in two phases. In phase one, data were coded and categorised according to a range of factors previously identified as significant in vehicle-related flood fatalities internationally. In phase two, a detailed analysis was conducted on 11 selected incidents for which there were complete sets of records. This detailed analysis provides insight into the multifaceted nature of fatal vehicle-related flood fatality incidents. The overall results reveal that, for drivers, middle-aged and elderly males are over-represented in the fatality statistics. As passengers, young women and children are vulnerable. The study also identified deep floodwater with high flow contributes more to vehicle immersion, and the presence of alcohol and drugs, leading to impaired responses, reduces the chance of survival for the vehicle occupants.

}, keywords = {driver, drowning fatalities, Flood, natural hazard, passenger vehicles}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12616}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jfr3.12616}, author = {Mozumdar Arifa Ahmed and Katharine Haynes and Mel Taylor} } @article {bnh-6246, title = {Working outside {\textquoteleft}the rules{\textquoteright}: Opportunities and challenges of community participation in risk reduction}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {44}, year = {2020}, month = {04/2020}, abstract = {

Research has shown that greater community action is needed for effective risk reduction. Community participation in risk reduction ranges from action that is initiated and led by members of the public, independently of government assistance, to those that are initiated and facilitated by government and non-government organisations. Natural hazards research has demonstrated that despite awareness of and a desire to reduce risk, many community members lack the physical, psychological or financial capacity to take action. This is particularly the case for bushfires, where preparations can be costly and physically demanding. In response to this, Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) established the Community Fire Unit (CFU) program. CFUs are groups of residents who are provided with education, training and equipment to enable them to reduce risks around their homes through enhanced preparation and some bushfire defence. This paper examines the experiences and views of CFU members after bushfires in the Blue Mountains, NSW in October 2013. The majority of respondents believed that their participation in the CFU program reduced bushfire risk and led to a greater sense of community and social capital in their local area. However, the research revealed challenges associated with participating within the formal, top-down structures of a professional fire brigade. Respondents therefore considered that greater flexibility was needed with simultaneously greater support and autonomy from FRNSW. The paper explores the experiences, challenges and opportunities presented by a top-down community based risk reduction program and considers the implications for community participation in risk reduction more generally.

}, keywords = {Bushfire, Community participation, Disaster risk reduction, hazard, Wildfire}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101396}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420919304832?dgcid=author}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Deanne Bird and J Whittaker} } @article {bnh-6225, title = {Behaviour around floodwater: challenges for floodwater safety and risk communication}, journal = {Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {34}, year = {2019}, month = {09/2019}, pages = {40-47}, abstract = {

There is little disagreement that entering floodwater is risky, whether in a vehicle or on foot. There is usually little or no visibility of what is under the surface and even shallow water with moderate flow can make vehicles unstable or sweep people off their feet. In addition, floodwater will often contain contaminants and debris. Therefore, the safest course of action is to avoid entering floodwater. Indeed, the most pervasive risk communication message is {\textquoteleft}If it{\textquoteright}s flooded, forget it{\textquoteright}. This clear, unambiguous message is good at getting people{\textquoteright}s attention, but it is unclear whether it actually changes behaviour. Research with Australian public, floodplain management professionals, State Emergency Services (SES) personnel, and other emergency management experts has identified a number of challenges to floodwater safety and risk communications. Using a combination of research evidence and expert opinion, this paper discusses four pressing challenges and highlights some of the approaches being taken to help address them.

}, keywords = {communications, Fatalities, floodwater, risk, safety}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-october-2019-behaviour-around-floodwater-challenges-for-floodwater-safety-and-risk-communication/}, author = {Mel Taylor and Matalena Tofa and Katharine Haynes and Joshua McLaren and Peter Readman and Diana Ferguson and Sascha Rundle and Danny Rose} } @article {bnh-5831, title = {Building resilience through flood risk communication annual report 2018-2019}, number = {509}, year = {2019}, month = {09/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This project commenced in July 2017 and comprises two phases:

  1. Understanding behaviour in and around floodwater, and
  2. Evaluating flood risk communication materials and developing guidelines.

This project is based on the findings of earlier BNHCRC research that investigated human fatalities from natural disasters (Haynes et al., 2017). This project focuses on the two behaviours most frequently associated with flood fatalities:

  1. Driving into floodwater in a motor vehicle, and
  2. Recreating in floodwater.

The focus is on the at-risk groups identified from this earlier research including emergency services personnel, younger and older male drivers, and children and young adults who play in floodwater (Haynes et al., 2017).

The year 2 activities that have been undertaken include:

Work is now underway to transition to Phase 2 activities and to maximise project utilisation opportunities.

}, keywords = {communication, emergency management., Flood, resilience, risk, risk mitigation}, issn = {509}, author = {Mel Taylor and Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa} } @article {bnh-5476, title = {Flash flood fatalities in NSW, VIC, ACT and South East QLD from 1 January 2000 to 30 June 2017}, number = {470}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

In terms of lives lost, floods are second only to heatwaves (Coates, 1996; Coates et al 2014), and are one of the top three natural hazards in terms of cost and damage caused, disrupting the functioning of businesses and communities due to\ \ \  building\  \ and\  \ infrastructure\  \ damage.\  \ In\  \ terms\  \ of\  \ reducing\  \ human casualties, \ flash \ floods \ pose \ a \ unique \ challenge \ to \ emergency \ responders and emergency management. Consideration must be given to the efficacy of public education campaigns and warnings, the relative risks occupants face inside and outside the dwelling and the behaviour of individuals during flood events.

The current report builds on that carried out by Risk Frontiers for the New South Wales \ State \ Emergency\  Service \ [Haynes \ et \ al, \ 2009], \ which \ examined \ the fatality and injury record for Australian flash flood events from 1950 to 2008. It also continues the work done for the floods component of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre (BNHCRC) project, {\textquotedblleft}An analysis of human fatalities and building losses from natural disasters in Australia{\textquotedblright} [see Haynes et al, 2016]. The current research focuses on the circumstances surrounding fatalities resulting from flash flood events in New South Wales (NSW) from 1 January 2000 to 30 June 2017. To enable comparisons to be made, a few other jurisdictions were examined. The aim is to identify those most at risk and \ any \ trends \ in \ recent \ flash \ flood \ events \ in \ order\  \ to \ inform \ policy development by the NSW SES.

}, keywords = {Emergency management, Flood, flood management, health and safety, risk management}, author = {Coates, Lucinda and James O{\textquoteright}Brien and Andrew Gissing and Katharine Haynes and Rebecca D{\textquoteright}Arcy and Chloe Smith and Deirdre Radford} } @article {bnh-5763, title = {Older adults in disaster and emergency management: What are the priority research areas in Australia?}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {39}, year = {2019}, month = {07/2019}, abstract = {

In Australia, the proportion of people aged over 65 years is increasing and the frequency and severity of natural hazard events are also increasing. Older adults are often identified as a vulnerable group in natural hazard events, but there has been relatively little research that focuses specifically on older adults and their capacities and needs. This paper describes stakeholder consultation undertaken to identify research priorities related to older adults and natural hazards in Australia, and compares this to current research literature on this topic identified in an initial scoping review. A two-phase modified Delphi study was undertaken with stakeholder organisations within Australia, including older adults{\textquoteright} representative organisations, community services, and emergency services. Stakeholders (n = 112) first identified priority research areas and 649 distinct topics were suggested; thematic analysis was used to refine these to 19 research topic areas that were then rated and ranked for importance by stakeholders during phase two. The top five topic areas identified were {\textquoteleft}Communication and warnings,{\textquoteright} {\textquoteleft}Preparedness,{\textquoteright} {\textquoteleft}Awareness, behaviour and decision-making,{\textquoteright} {\textquoteleft}Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities,{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}Community services and organisations{\textquoteright}. While these topics are covered in some Australian literature, further research {\textendash} particularly in relation to CALD communities, and community services/organisations {\textendash} is needed. This study demonstrates the value of stakeholder engagement and the Delphi approach for identifying research priorities that can best address issues and concerns amongst diverse stakeholders. It also highlights that there is a need for further research with older adults, communities, and stakeholders to support preparedness, risk reduction, and resilience.

}, keywords = {CALD, Disaster management, Emergency management, Natural hazards, Older adults, Stakeholder engagement}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101248}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420919301736?dgcid=coauthor}, author = {Lisa Fountain and Matalena Tofa and Katharine Haynes and Mel Taylor and Susan Ferguson} } @article {bnh-5807, title = {Preventable residential fire fatalities in Australia July 2003 to June 2017}, number = {506}, year = {2019}, month = {08/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Introduction

On average, more than one fire-related death occurs in a residential context every week in Australia. That equates to approximately the same number of deaths as occurred during the Black Saturday bushfires (173) every three years. These deaths are overwhelmingly preventable. Deaths from residential fires have significant social, economic and emotional impacts on individuals, families, communities and also on the firefighters and other emergency service workers who attend these tragic incidents. The last published national study into residential fire fatalities in Australia was released in 2005 (Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC), 2005). The current study follows on from that report but looks in greater depth at who is most at risk. It provides fire services and other stakeholders with an analysis of preventable residential fire fatalities to inform evidence-based policy and practice to reduce the number of future deaths.

Aims

The aims of this study were to:

Methods

The methodology of this study is based primarily on the collection and analysis of coronial records from the National Coronial Information System (NCIS) database, supported by the analysis of publicly available Coronial reports. The NCIS database is an online facility storing coronial cases from all jurisdictions in Australia from 2000 onwards. To access the NCIS database ethics approvals were obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committees of Macquarie University and the Victorian Department of Justice and Regulation, from the Coroners Court of Victoria Research Committee and from the Western Australian Coronial Ethics Committee.\ 

Australian records from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2017 were accessed in the NCIS by a\ variety of searches. After refinement of the applicable dataset, relevant structured\ and non-structured data from the NCIS (comprising the summary page, police,\ autopsy and toxicology reports and coroner{\textquoteright}s findings) were coded for 41 fields and\ entered into a specially constructed Microsoft (MS) Access database {\textendash} the\ Preventable Residential Fire Fatalities Database. Once complete, the data were\ exported to MS Excel tables and statistically analysed.\ \ 

Results/Discussion

Mortaility statistics

This study found that at least 900 people have died in preventable residential fires in\ Australia from July 2003 to June 2017, averaging approximately 64 deaths per year\ or more than one preventable residential fire death every week. This is a national\ death rate of approximately 0.29 per 100,000 population. The majority of deaths\ occur in single fatality incidents. Between 2003 and 2017 there was no clear\ declining trend in fire fatalities.

The results from this study highlight that the conceptualisation of fire fatality risk is\ complex. The presence of a single risk factor on its own is unlikely to significantly\ increase a person{\textquoteright}s risk of dying in a residential fire. It is the co-occurrence of a\ range of factors surrounding the person, their behaviours, their residential\ environment and other external factors that is likely to impact their overall level of
risk of having a fire that results in their death.

Fire services, individuals and other stakeholders can and should do more to reduce the rate of residential fire fatalities further, with an aim of reducing preventable residential fire deaths towards zero. Interventions to reduce the risk of residential fire for those most at risk of dying need to encompass both technological and human-centred approaches.

The residence and location

Free-standing houses/ villas were the housing type where the majority of fatal fires occurred (67.1\%). However, stand-alone houses comprise 78.4\% of housing stock in Australia, so other housing types may be over-represented in the fatality data. Similarly, owner occupiers were the most commonly identified property tenure (53\%), but owner occupiers account for approximately 67\% of all property tenures in
Australia (ABS, 2017). This indicates that other tenure types, such as private and public rentals, may be over-represented in fire fatalities.\ 

Geographically, most fatal residential fires occurred in major cities, but with regard to the death rate per 100,000 population, there was over-representation of deaths in regional and remote areas. The analysis of the fatality data in relation to areas of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) (refer to pp.31-32 and Appendix 3) shows that most fatalities occurred in locations where there is relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage.\ Fatal preventable residential fires start most commonly in the living room/ lounge or\ bedroom. They are not necessarily large or severe fires, with approximately half of\ fatal fires burning one room or less of the structure.

Seasonality

The most common characteristics of residential fires that are fatal include that they\ occur mostly during the Australian winter months. They occur most commonly\ between hours of 8pm-8am and particularly from midnight-4am.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms are the most important residential fire safety device. They are required\ by law in residential properties in all Australian jurisdictions. For this study, data on\ smoke alarms was collected from the narrative parts of the NCIS database. In a\ large majority of cases (65.9\%), this information was not known. The extent that the\ presence of a smoke alarm was noted is low considering their importance, and
considering that the absence of a smoke alarm may have had an impact on the\ fatality outcome (e.g., by providing an earlier warning to the fire victim.)

The people

Single variable analysis from the current research found that those most at risk of\ dying in a preventable residential fire included:

By age cohort, people aged >=65 are the group most at risk of dying in a residential fire. In the >=65 cohort, the fatality rate increases with age; older age groups are more at risk. The data indicates that the other factors that increase risk in older people include smoking, having a disability, the presence in their blood of alcohol and/ or medications, living alone and requiring support to live at home. Where these
factors are present in combination, an older person{\textquoteright}s risk may increase significantly.\ 

The presence of a working smoke alarm may not provide early enough warning to enable older people to escape from a fire. This is an area that needs more research, but it indicates that there may be life-saving benefits if fire services and other stakeholders focus on increasing the uptake of specialist smoke alarms appropriate to the needs of older people.

The future fire fatality risk for older people is likely to be on an increasing trajectory due to a range of demographic and policy factors. These include an ageing population and this growing population of older people\ {\textquotedblleft}ageing in place{\textquotedblright} within their own home for longer.

Children aged 0-4 had the largest number of deaths of any 5 year age range. The cause of fire was more often lighters or matches (n=31), which may indicate that a significant number of fires were lit by children during fire-play. The link to social and financial disadvantage was particularly significant in this cohort, with almost half (48.6\%, n=34) of deaths in the 0-4 age bracket occurring in locations in the top 10\% of greatest socio-economic disadvantage, and 87.2\% of fatalities occurred in the top 40\% of locations of greatest disadvantage.

Fire safety interventions for this cohort need to be focused on increasing the basic home fire safety of families with young children, particularly in areas of social and financial disadvantage. Fire services and other stakeholders may consider interventions that partner with other services, such as maternal and child health services, to identify and reach those most at risk.

Within the fire fatality data, 46.7\% (n=420) of decedents were identified as having at least one disability present. Physical disabilities comprised 46.2\% of disabilities identified, while mental health and neurological disorders made up 27.8\% and 9.7\% of disabilities identified. People with a disability are likely to be over-represented in the fire fatality data. Mental health and neurological disorders are an identified risk factor for residential fire fatality. Similar to older people, there may be a lifesaving benefit in fire services and other stakeholders focusing on increasing the uptake of specialist smoke alarms appropriate to the needs of people with a disability.\ 

Some 8.2\% (n=57) of decedents were identified as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander\ (TSI) or both. Approximately 3.3\% of the Australian population identify as Aboriginal\ or TSI (ABS, 2019a), meaning that this cohort are over-represented in the data by a\ factor of 2.5. Aboriginal/ TSI people comprised 12\% of fatalities under 65 years of age and 3\% of people over 65 years, likely reflecting the younger age structure of the\ Aboriginal and TSI population.

Smokers are over-represented to a large extent in residential fire fatalities. Of cases\ where the smoking status of the decedent was known (n=428), 65.4\% of people\ were smokers. During the study period, smoking rates in Australia decreased\ significantly, and reduced-fire-risk cigarettes were mandated in Australia in 2010. In\ the 2004/5 financial year 23.3\% of Australians were smokers. By 2014/15 this had
decreased to 15.5\%. The fatality data does not reflect any decline in the number of\ smokers who died over the course of the study period. It is unclear why this is the\ case.

Smoking materials are a major cause of ignition of fatal residential fires. For those cases where the fire cause was known, over a quarter (26.7\%, n=161) were caused by smoking materials (i.e., cigarettes, pipes etc), with just over a third of those (n=56) relating to smoking in bed. There was a strong link between smoking materials as the cause of fire and the residence being located in a relatively disadvantaged area,\ with 49\% of fires caused by smoking materials occurring in the top 25\% of most\ disadvantaged locations.

Recommendations

Fire services and other stakeholders may consider the following recommendations to reduce the incidence of preventable residential fire fatalities in Australia:

Conclusion

Preventable residential fire fatalities in Australia remain a significant public health problem, with an average of 64 fatalities each year. Deaths from residential fires have significant social, economic and emotional impacts on individuals, families, communities and also on the firefighters and other emergency service workers who attend these tragic incidents.

For the first time in over 14 years, this study provides an update on the evidence around the extent of preventable residential fire fatalities in Australia, those people most at risk and the details of fire incidents and residences where fatal fires have occurred. It provides a set of data that fire services and other stakeholders can use to develop evidence-based policy and practice to reduce the occurrence of fatal residential fires.

}, keywords = {Australia, Emergency management, Fatalities, Fire, metropolitan fire, MFB}, isbn = {978-0-6482756-3-3}, issn = {506}, author = {Coates, Lucinda and Geoff Kaandorp and Julie Harris and Jonathan Van Leeuwen and Ashley Avci and Jacob Evans and Steve George and Andrew Gissing and Robin van den Honert and Katharine Haynes} } @article {bnh-5573, title = {What do we really mean by {\textquoteleft}floodwater{\textquoteright} and is it ever ok to enter?}, volume = {32}, year = {2019}, month = {05/2019}, abstract = {

Flood safety messages used extensively and consistently in Australia are {\textquoteleft}If it{\textquoteright}s flooded, forget it{\textquoteright}, {\textquoteleft}Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater{\textquoteright}, {\textquoteleft}Don{\textquoteright}t play in flood water{\textquoteright}. These messages are clear, unambiguous and definitive. The problem is, people continue to enter floodwater.

In partnership with State Emergency Services across Australia, we are looking at flood risk communication and examining the two behaviours most closely linked to flood fatalities; driving into and recreating in floodwater. This is part of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Flood Risk Communication research.

}, keywords = {communication, Emergency management, flood risk, floodwater}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-april-2019-what-do-we-really-mean-by-floodwater-and-is-it-ever-ok-to-enter/}, author = {Mel Taylor and Katharine Haynes} } @article {bnh-5042, title = {Driving into floodwater: A systematic review of risks, behaviour and mitigation}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {31}, year = {2018}, month = {10/2018}, pages = {10}, chapter = {953}, abstract = {

This systematic review summarises the findings of research focused on the risks associated with driving into floodwater. The review aims to compare and document the magnitude of the problem internationally; identifying the risk factors; exploring the application of theories and presence of theoretical models to explain people{\textquoteright}s risky behaviour; and documenting the intervention strategies utilised or proposed. Literature were searched from a number of databases (e.g. PsycInfo, ScienceDirect, Informit) for publication dates to 31 August 2017, then assessed based on their titles, abstracts and full texts and finally 24 articles were selected. This review compares flood fatality data from four countries (Australia, United States, Greece, and Sweden), groups identified risk factors from these selected studies into seven categories, and proposes a holistic integrated intervention model. The results of the review indicate that studies were predominantly conducted in Australia (10 studies) and USA (7 studies). People{\textquoteright}s decisions to drive into, or turn back from, floodwater are identified as a consequence of both their risk perception and the combined impact of all other factors (e.g. individual, social, environmental etc.) that interdependently contribute to shape decision-making, The theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was the only theory that has been utilised within the literature to understand drivers{\textquoteright} willingness to take risks. Improving people{\textquoteright}s decision-making through educational initiatives, advanced structural mechanisms, regulating existing edicts, and regularly evaluating the effectiveness of current strategies are identified as the best approaches to addressing the challenges in this area. Findings suggest that future studies require data and analysis from a larger range of countries, more comparative analyses within and between countries, an exploration of the relationship between risk factors and their relative level of influence and a greater application of behavioural and decision making theories.

}, keywords = {Behavioural theories, Driving, Drowning, Fatalities, Flood, Risk factors, Risk mitigation measures, Risk perception, Vehicles}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.07.007}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420918300323}, author = {Mel Taylor and Katharine Haynes and Mozumdar Arifa Ahmed} } @article {bnh-5200, title = {Exploring the experiences of those who shelter in place during severe flooding}, year = {2018}, month = {12/2018}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This report examines the experiences of residents and business owners in the Northern Rivers region of NSW during flooding on March 30 and 31, 2017. It draws on a survey of residents and business owners conducted in July 2017, and a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with residents and business owners between April and July 2017. Using these methods, perspectives on awareness, information and warnings, and preparedness are explored, alongside people{\textquoteright}s experiences of staying with their home or business during this flood. The findings suggest that an approach that is more responsive to local cultures and contexts is needed for managing the residual flood risk in already existing towns and developments in floodplains, particularly where there is an established culture of sheltering during floods.\ Information that enables residents and businesses to effectively plan and prepare for the realities
of sheltering, or to recognise that early evacuation is a better strategy and to take steps to ensure that evacuation is possible, is needed.

}, issn = {436}, author = {Matalena Tofa and Katharine Haynes and Ashley Avci and Jonathan Van Leeuwen and Roche, Kevin and Coates, Lucinda and Andrew Gissing} } @article {bnh-4676, title = {Flood levee influences on community preparedness: a paradox?}, journal = {Australian Journal of Emergency Management }, volume = {33}, year = {2018}, month = {07/2018}, pages = {5}, chapter = {39}, abstract = {

Flood levees are a commonly used method of flood protection. Previous research has proposed the concept of the {\textquoteleft}levee paradox{\textquoteright} to describe the situation whereby the construction of levees leads to a lowered community awareness of the risks of flooding and increased development in the {\textquoteleft}protected{\textquoteright} area. The consequences of this are the risks of larger losses in less frequent but deeper floods\ when levees overtop or fail. This paper uses the recent history of flooding and levee construction to investigate the {\textquoteleft}levee paradox{\textquoteright} through a study of flood preparedness and floodplain development in Lismore, NSW.

}, keywords = {communities, emergency management., Flood, levee, Preparedness}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-jul-2018-flood-levee-influences-on-community-preparedness-a-paradox/}, author = {Andrew Gissing and Jonathan Van Leeuwen and Matalena Tofa and Katharine Haynes} } @article {bnh-4686, title = {Motivations and experiences of sheltering in place during floods: Implications for policy and practice}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {31}, year = {2018}, month = {08/2018}, pages = {7}, chapter = {781}, abstract = {

Whilst much research considers evacuation behaviours during floods and other natural hazard events, and how to motivate greater compliance to evacuation orders, there is little research documenting peoples{\textquoteright} reasons for, and experiences of, sheltering at their home or business during floods. Focusing on the experiences of residents and business owners who sheltered during a major flood event, this study explores the motivations for staying during floods, residents{\textquoteright} practices while sheltering, and the attendant challenges and impacts. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were conducted with residents and business owners in the Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed river catchments in New South Wales in the months following an extensive flood event in 2017. The research identified a culture of sheltering during floods in these communities that is passed down through families and communities. Nuanced personal and locally specific factors influenced decisions to shelter, and official warnings and evacuation orders were often considered inaccurate or too late, or disregarded due to {\textquoteleft}warning fatigue{\textquoteright}. Findings also reveal that sheltering can be physically and psychologically challenging, and often involves actively defending people, property, and possessions from floodwaters. This study highlights the critical importance of context to understanding sheltering decisions, and consequently, the need for nuance in emergency management responses and risk communication. It also shows the importance of understanding what sheltering involves and its impacts, particularly given increasing pressure to urbanise and develop flood plains.

}, keywords = {beaviour, communities, emergency management., Evacuation, Floods, response, risk communication}, doi = {10.1016}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420918304345}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa and Ashley Avci and Jonathan Van Leeuwen and Coates, Lucinda} } @article {bnh-4404, title = {Surviving bushfire: the role of shelters and sheltering practices during the Black Saturday bushfires}, journal = {Environmental Science \& Policy}, volume = {81}, year = {2018}, month = {03/2018}, pages = {86-94}, chapter = {86}, abstract = {

The decision of whether to leave or stay and defend is a well communicated public safety policy for those at risk from bushfire in Australia. Advice relating to sheltering practices during bushfire is less developed. This paper presents findings from a study of sheltering practices during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. The study examined the circumstances and challenges experienced by residents when sheltering and/or exiting houses, sheds, and personal bunkers. The analysis considered a number of factors including human behaviour and decision making, house design and construction, the surrounding landscape and fire behaviour.

The results show the need for contingency planning and the need for active sheltering, involving regular monitoring of conditions inside and outside the shelter and actions to protect the shelter and its occupants. Also discussed is the tenability and location of the shelters and key questions around how bushfire-related building controls can improve the predictability of shelter failure, reduce the rate of shelter tenability loss and facilitate egress. This research highlights the need for enhanced community engagement and education to encourage residents to plan and prepare for active sheltering.

}, doi = {10.1016/j.envsci.2017.12.013}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901117309085}, author = {Blanchi, Raphaele and J Whittaker and Katharine Haynes and Justin Leonard and Kimberley Opie} } @article {bnh-4236, title = {An analysis of human fatalities and building losses from natural disasters: annual project report 2016-17}, number = {355}, year = {2017}, month = {09/2017}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Measuring and understanding the impacts of natural hazards in terms of the toll of human life and building damage is a fundamental first step to enabling efficient and strategic risk reduction. By taking a scientific approach to the collection and analysis of accurate information and intelligence, governments, agencies and the wider community are better positioned to reduce disaster risks.

Specifically, the project has provided a longitudinal analysis of the social and environmental circumstances that led to fatalities in order to examine trends over time in terms of exposure and vulnerability.\  These trends have been interpreted in the context of emerging issues, and how these issues might influence vulnerability and exposure trends in the future.\  The project has provided an analysis of building damage by hazard and state/territory due to natural hazards.

The outcomes of this project will inform a wide-range of emergency management and government end users to advise on and update policy, practice and resource allocation.\  Already it has been utilized by NSW and Victoria State Emergency Services to inform education campaigns.

}, issn = {355}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Andrew Gissing} } @article {bnh-3568, title = {An analysis of human fatalities from cyclones, earthquakes and severe storms in Australia}, number = {247}, year = {2017}, month = {05/2017}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This report examines the socio-demographic and environmental circumstances surrounding fatalities from cyclones, earthquakes and severe storms (hail, gusts, lightning, rain and tornados). It is the second major milestone from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre (BNHCRC) funded project {\textquotedblleft}An analysis of human fatalities and building losses from natural disasters in Australia{\textquotedblright}.

The foundation for this work is the use of the Risk Frontiers{\textquoteright} database PerilAUS, which contains historical data on the incidence (magnitude, affected locations, etc.) and consequences (property damage and fatalities, etc.) of natural hazard events in Australia. PerilAUS contains many of the names of the deceased which, during the course of this project, has enabled the collection of more detailed information on the circumstances of many of the fatalities from coronial inquest reports.

The data has been analysed to inform the understanding of the circumstances surrounding the deaths and how this information could best be utilised for emergency management policy and practice. This has included an examination of the data around the following themes: demographics, cause of death, location of the fatality and transport, activity and action prior to and at the time of death, capacity and awareness and, where possible, the severity of the event.

}, issn = {247}, author = {Coates, Lucinda and Katharine Haynes and Deirdre Radford and Rebecca D{\textquoteright}Arcy and Chloe Smith and Robin van den Honert and Andrew Gissing} } @article {bnh-4238, title = {Bridging the divide between studies on disaster risk reduction education and child-centred disaster risk reduction: a critical review}, journal = {Children{\textquoteright}s Geographies}, year = {2017}, month = {07/2017}, abstract = {

There has been a recent increase in the body of knowledge related to children and disasters. These studies converge into three main fields of research: the impact of disasters on children and their psychological recovery, the integration of disaster risk reduction (DRR) into the education sectors and children{\textquoteright}s participation in DRR. This article provides a literature review of the two latter fields of research where the focus is on reducing disaster losses and building resilience prior to a disaster. Overall, 48 studies are critically reviewed and compared in relation to the strengths and weaknesses of their aims, methods, locations of research, impact, and outcomes. The review identified a number of differences between the two fields and significant opportunities for linking the two approaches, sharing lessons and knowledge. Based on the review, recommendations for further research are outlined.

}, doi = {10.1080/14733285.2017.1358448}, url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14733285.2017.1358448?journalCode=cchg20}, author = {Avianto Amri and Katharine Haynes and Deanne Bird and Kevin Ronan} } @article {bnh-4239, title = {Disaster risk reduction education in Indonesia: challenges and recommendations for scaling up}, journal = {Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {17}, year = {2017}, month = {04/2017}, pages = {595-612}, chapter = {595}, abstract = {

This article investigates the implementation of disaster risk reduction education for children in Indonesia. In the last decade, education programmes related to this subject have been promoted as capable of reducing disaster losses and increasing resilience, based on several studies that have identified positive outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate and address any potential challenges that might impede their success. The article uses a case study in Jakarta, a rapidly growing megacity that is highly prone to disasters and natural hazards, especially floods and fires, to explore the scaling up and sustainability of disaster risk reduction in Indonesian schools. Based on previous studies, a new approach was developed for evaluating the implementation of education programmes related to these subjects. This study captured the perspectives of children, school personnel, and non-governmental organisations on the challenges of scaling up the implementation of disaster risk reduction education in schools. The study revealed seven key issues and suggests several policy recommendations to move forward. These key issues may also be apparent in many other developing and developed countries, and the suggested recommendations may well be applicable beyond Indonesia.

}, doi = {10.5194/nhess-17-595-2017}, url = {https://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/17/595/2017/}, author = {Avianto Amri and Deanne Bird and Kevin Ronan and Katharine Haynes and Briony Towers} } @article {bnh-4110, title = {Experiences of sheltering during the Black Saturday bushfires: Implications for policy and research}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {23}, year = {2017}, month = {07/2017}, pages = {119-127}, chapter = {119}, abstract = {

More than half of those who died in the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, Australia, were sheltering inside a house at the time of their death. This marks a shift in bushfire fatality trends, which previously saw most fatalities occurring outside while residents attempted to protect assets or evacuate. This paper presents findings from research that examined people{\textquoteright}s experiences of sheltering in and exiting houses, sheds, personal shelters and other structures on Black Saturday. Qualitative data were sourced from 315 semi-structured interviews with residents affected by the bushfires and 50 witness statements presented to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. Results indicate that despite limited planning and preparation specifically for sheltering on Black Saturday, many residents protected themselves from fire by sheltering inside houses, other structures and in open spaces. Most sheltered actively, engaging in regular monitoring and action to protect the shelter and occupants. However, some found sheltering challenging due to heat, smoke and responsibilities for children, vulnerable household members and the incapacitated. Misconceptions persist about the safety offered by houses and, in particular, bathrooms during bushfires. Education and advice should emphasise the need to plan and prepare for active sheltering, regardless of whether people intend to stay and defend or leave. The paper offers recommendations to promote planning and preparedness for active sheltering and identifies areas for further research.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2017.05.002}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221242091730050X$\#$!}, author = {J Whittaker and Blanchi, Raphaele and Katharine Haynes and Justin Leonard and Kimberley Opie} } @article {bnh-5075, title = {Exploring the circumstances surrounding flood fatalities in Australia{\textemdash}1900{\textendash}2015 and the implications for policy and practice}, journal = {Environmental Science \& Policy}, volume = {76}, year = {2017}, month = {10/2017}, pages = {165-176}, chapter = {165}, abstract = {

This paper documents the analysis of the circumstances surrounding fatalities due to flooding in Australia between 1900 and 2015. This longitudinal investigation is important to understand changing trends in social vulnerability and to inform efficient and strategic risk reduction strategies. The basis of this analysis was\ PerilAUS, Risk Frontiers{\textquoteright} database of historical natural hazard impacts in Australia. This data was augmented and verified using coronial inquest records which provide detailed data concerning the social, demographic and environmental circumstances of each fatality. A statistical analysis of the data was undertaken, examining demographics (age, gender), location (state), seasonality, circumstances surrounding the fatality,\ environmental factors\ (e.g. the event intensity) and social factors (e.g. the decisions or actions which led to death). Overall there have been 1859 fatalities identified, with distinct trends in relation to gender, age, activity and reason behind the activity. Flood deaths have been declining. The majority of the fatalities are male (79.3\%): however, since the 1960s the proportion of female to male fatalities has increased. Children and young adults (\<29years) make up the greatest proportion of the fatalities (53.8\% of cases where age is known). The highest proportions of fatalities occurred while victims attempted to cross a flood-impacted bridge or road. The recommendations for\ emergency management\ policy and practice are discussed, outlining the need for a new approach that accounts for a continuum of measures including regulation and incentive, education and structural intervention.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.07.003}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901117301818}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Robin van den Honert and Andrew Gissing and Deanne Bird and Felipe Dimer de Oliveira and Rebecca D{\textquoteright}Arcy and Chloe Smith and Deirdre Radford} } @article {bnh-3923, title = {Influence of road characteristics on flood fatalities in Australia}, number = {340}, year = {2017}, month = {08/2017}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

A recent analysis of flood fatalities in Australia identified that 49 percent of flood fatalities were vehicle related (Haynes et al., 2017). In total, some 229 flood fatalities were associated with vehicles between 1960 and 2015 (Haynes et al., 2017).

There has been some effort in recent years to address this issue through educational campaigns. There has, however, been no previous research into how the characteristics of roadways influence the decisions taken, possibility of a vehicle being washed off a roadway and the survivability of people in vehicles that enter floodwater.

This research report outlines research to determine the influence of road characteristics on flood fatalities including road structure type; roadway side barriers; downstream depths adjacent to the roadway; signage; warning systems; lighting; road pavement; road alignment; road grade; speed restrictions; traffic volume; downstream vegetation; ability for a vehicle to be turned around prior to crossing the floodway, causeway or bridge and presence of road side markers and curb and guttering.

The results of this research indicate some road characteristics that are common among sites where motorists have entered floodwaters and fatalities have occurred. These characteristics variously influence the risk that motorists knowingly or unknowingly enter floodwater, the ability of motorists to turn around upon seeing floodwaters, and the likely survivability of entering floodwaters. It is necessary to consider the influence of different road characteristics on the risks posed to motorists during floods. Observations are also made regarding the need to consider the role of road side barricades in increasing safety and to review signage to ensure it is clear and can be readily interpreted.

}, issn = {340}, author = {Andrew Gissing and Matalena Tofa and S. Opper and Katharine Haynes} } @conference {bnh-3893, title = {Sheltering in place during flooding: a case study of ex cyclone Debbie}, booktitle = {AFAC17}, year = {2017}, month = {09/2017}, publisher = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, organization = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Sydney}, abstract = {

Some anecdotal evidence of the dangers and challenges that residents face when sheltering in place during flooding exists; however, little detailed research has been conducted documenting peoples{\textquoteright} actual experiences.\  The March / April 2017 flooding in Northern NSW presented an opportunity to investigate the experiences of those who had sheltered in a home or business. The research methods included in-depth interviews and a questionnaire conducted online, over the phone and in-person with residents and business owners in the Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed river catchments. The research was conducted between April and July 2017. This paper will present findings about preparation and intentions, responses to warnings, factors influencing sheltering or evacuation behavior and the risks and challenges faced. Although early evacuation will remain the safest option in many flood situations, the research has identified that a culture of sheltering exists in the Northern Rivers area. This research provides insights into the challenges and risks of sheltering, but also to the diverse motivations and reasoning that influence how people respond to floods. This work will begin to inform how emergency services can better prepare communities, where sheltering is commonplace, for the physical and emotional realities they may face.\ 

}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Matalena Tofa and Andrew Gissing and Coates, Lucinda and Roche, Kevin} } @article {bnh-3034, title = {An analysis of human fatalities and building losses from natural disasters: Annual project report 2015-2016}, number = {176}, year = {2016}, month = {09/2016}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Measuring and understanding the impacts of natural hazards in terms of the toll on human life and building damage is a fundamental first step to enabling efficient and strategic risk reduction. By taking a scientific approach to the collection and analysis of accurate information and intelligence, governments, agencies and the wider community are better positioned to reduce disaster risks.

Specifically, the project will provide a longitudinal analysis of the social and environmental circumstances that led to fatalities in order to examine trends over time in terms of exposure and vulnerability. These trends will also be interpreted in the context of emerging issues (e.g. ageing population and population shifts, building codes etc), and how these issues might influence vulnerability and exposure trends in the future. The project will also provide an analysis of building damage by hazard and state/territory due to natural hazards.

The outcomes of this project will inform a wide-range of emergency management and government end users to advise on and update policy, practice and resource allocation.

}, issn = {176}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Robin van den Honert} } @article {bnh-2735, title = {An analysis of human fatalities from floods in Australia 1900-2015}, number = {166}, year = {2016}, month = {05/2016}, abstract = {

This report examines the socio-demographic and environmental circumstances surrounding flood fatalities in Australia between 1900 and 2015. It is the first major milestone from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre funded project {\textquotedblleft}An analysis of human fatalities and building losses from natural disasters in Australia{\textquotedblright}.

The foundation for this work is the use of the Risk Frontiers{\textquoteright} database PerilAUS, which contains historical data on the incidence (magnitude, affected locations, etc.) and consequences (property damage and fatalities, etc.) of natural hazard events in Australia. PerilAUS contains many of the names of the deceased, which, during the course of this project has enabled the collection of more detailed information on the circumstances of many of the fatalities from coronial inquest reports. Since project commencement, the Flood Database has increased in total number of flood events by 75\%. The number of fatal flood events has increased by 100\% over the length of the project. Importantly, the percentage of named fatalities has increased from 50\% to 90\%, in addition to an increase in the overall numbers of fatalities.

The data has been analysed in relation to informing the understanding of the circumstances surrounding the deaths and how this information could best be utilised for emergency management policy and practice. This has included an examination of the data around the following themes: demographics, cause of death, location of the fatality and transport, activity and reason behind action prior to death, capacity and awareness, and flood type and severity.\ 

}, issn = {166}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Felipe Dimer de Oliveira and Andrew Gissing and Deanne Bird and Robin van den Honert and Deirdre Radford and Rebecca D{\textquoteright}Arcy and Chloe Smith} } @article {bnh-3050, title = {Building best practice in child-centred disaster risk reduction: Annual project report 2015-2016}, number = {188}, year = {2016}, month = {09/2016}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This Annual Report summarises progress to date on Building Best Practice in Child-Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (CC-DRR), with a focus on 2015-16.\  The first 2.5 years has included scoping and review, the development of a conceptual framework to guide the research, an utilisation roadmap, and the initiation of pilot and main research.\  The CC-DRR Project conceptual framework reflects a parsimonious research narrative designed to build on research-policy-practice progress to date but, critically, solve problems and challenges across that nexus.\  The narrative itself has two guiding questions as follows:

Research to date has commenced and is ongoing across these major areas.\  This includes research started in 2014-15, but continuing in 2015-16, focused on major stakeholders{\textquoteright} views, including children and youth, households and parents/caregivers, teachers and school personnel, emergency management/DRR professionals. It includes in 2015-16 initial research on CC-DRR-related student learning and DRR/resilience program outcomes, commencement of costings-related research, and research on implementation obstacles and facilitators for schools and emergency management agencies.\  With project End Users as primary stakeholders, 2015-16 reflected many consultations and end user capacity-building workshopping. This included their direct involvement in the Project to ensure that current CC-DRR-focused disaster resilience education (DRE) programs reflect their needs and reflect theory and promising, good and best practices (i.e., Through a {\textquotedblleft}co-development and co-evaluation{\textquotedblright} process with End Users, 2015-16 included developing and refining a CC-DRR Practice Framework. Since its development, the Framework has begun to be used to systematically evaluate End User agency DRE programs to ensure they reflect evidence-based practices (EBP{\textquoteright}s). The framework incorporates three core dimensions (design, implementation, evaluation) and three guiding principles (collaboration and partnership, protection and participation, diversity and equity) (see Figure 1 on p. 24).\ 

These agency-based DRE programs are now being examined for {\textquotedblleft}practice-based evidence{\textquotedblright} (PBE), including child learning outcomes and DRR and resilience outcomes.\  Both EBP and PBE steps are couched within an implementation framework, with project research designed to support both policy- and practice-based implementation of CC-DRR/DRE programs. Research on implementation began in 2014-15 and continues in 2015-16, including the commencement of a PhD study on EM agency implementation policies and practices.\  This report goes into more detail on this program of research and related activities, including summarising progress in CC-DRR research to date, as well as some important challenges that have been identified.

}, issn = {188}, author = {Kevin Ronan and Briony Towers and John Handmer and Katharine Haynes and Eva Alisic and Nick Ireland and Marla Petal and Susan Davie and David Johnston and Vicki Johnson} } @article {bnh-2853, title = {Child-centered disaster risk reduction: Can disaster resilience programs reduce risk and increase the resilience of children and households?}, journal = {The Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {31}, year = {2016}, month = {07/2016}, abstract = {

There has been an increasing research and policy focus internationally on the role of child-centred disaster risk reduction and resilience (CC-DRR), including disaster risk reduction and resilience education programs for children and youth. This paper summarises developments and emphasises current progress and challenges. While research has increased in the past 15 years, there are significant research gaps, including those regarding the effectiveness of programs and their relatively patchy implementation. How to solve these problems has been the focus of a world-first national program of research funded by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. Building on international and national research to date, this paper focuses on the question of {\~A}{\textdaggerdbl}how can we create, evaluate, implement and scale up CC-DRR programs that work over time, including during disasters and into adulthood, to reduce risk and increase resilience for children, youth, schools, households and communities? This includes a guiding model for research and use, and a set of research-informed tools either developed or being developed to facilitate further progress.

}, url = {https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-31-03-16}, author = {Kevin Ronan and Katharine Haynes and Avianto Amri and Briony Towers and Eva Alisic and Susan Davie and Nick Ireland and Marla Petal} } @article {bnh-2803, title = {Disaster resilience education: A practice framework for Australian emergency management agencies}, number = {185}, year = {2016}, month = {08/2016}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This paper presents a practice framework for the development and delivery of school-based disaster resilience (DRE) education in the Australian national context. The purpose of the framework is to provide Australian emergency management agencies with a strategic, evidence-based approach to the development of DRE programs that reduce risk, increase resilience and can be implemented at scale. The framework is comprised of three guiding principles (Collaboration and Partnership, Protection and Participation, and Diversity and Equity) and three core dimensions (Design, Implementation, Evaluation). The structure and content of the framework has been informed by current international and national policy frameworks, existing DRE practice guidelines, and peer-reviewed research evidence. It has also been informed by consultations with representatives from the emergency management and education sectors. The framework should be viewed as a work-in-progress, which as it evolves, can assist in building capacity for best practice in DRE. To this end, the authors welcome and encourage critical feedback and commentary from both key stakeholders and the wider public.

}, issn = {185}, author = {Briony Towers and Kevin Ronan and Katharine Haynes and Marla Petal and Susan Davie and Liz Addison and Tony Jarrett and Brenda Doren-Higgins and Conrad Walsh and Matthew Henry and Gwynne Brennan and Liz Tomazic and Peta O{\textquoteright}Donohue and John Richardson and Antonia Mackay and Ruth Noonan} } @article {bnh-2758, title = {Motorist behaviour during the 2015 Shoalhaven floods}, journal = {Australian Journal of Emergency Management}, volume = {31}, year = {2016}, month = {04/2016}, abstract = {
People entering floodwaters by vehicle constitutes a major cause of flood fatalities in Australia and globally. Over the 20 years to 2014, 81 people have died attempting to drive through floodwaters. These comprise 43 per cent of all flood fatalities for this period. Despite Australian emergency services agencies mounting behavioural change campaigns and urging people not to enter floodwater, the behaviour persists. This paper draws on fieldwork carried out during flooding in the Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia, in August 2015 to examine the effectiveness of the current combination of warnings, education and road signage to stop motorists entering floodwater. The fieldwork identified that 84 per cent of drivers at a monitored site, notably males and four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles, dismissed road closure signs and drove into floodwater. It is plain that further work is needed to reduce the frequency of motorists entering floodwater. This requires the development of a holistic approach including education, regulation and engineering measures.
}, url = {https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-31-02-06}, author = {Andrew Gissing and Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Chas Keys} } @conference {bnh-2952, title = {Preventing flood related fatalities: a focus on people driving through floodwater}, booktitle = {AFAC16}, year = {2016}, month = {08/2016}, publisher = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, organization = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Brisbane}, abstract = {

Floods are the leading cause of natural disaster fatalities worldwide. In 2013, 44 per cent of natural disaster fatalities were caused by floods (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2013). Flash floods, in particular, have the highest average mortality rate per event (Jonkman, 2005). Approximately 180 people have died in Australia over the last 15 years (Haynes, et al., 2016; Peden, 2016). A large number of these fatalities occurred when people drove their vehicles into floodwaters, ignoring road closures and warning signs.\ Despite numerous campaigns on the dangers of floodwaters in recent years, people continue to put themselves at risk each year. In the June 2016 flood in New South Wales (NSW) alone, approximately 350 flood rescues occurred. Many of these rescues (approximately 50 per cent) included people stranded in or on the roofs of their cars, who may have otherwise been added to the number of fatalities. This flood event also resulted in the loss of multiple lives.
Following the major flood event on the east coast of Australia in May 2015, where several lives were also lost, the Law Crime and Community Safety Council (LCCSC) Ministers sought the Community Engagement Sub-committee (CESC) of the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee (ANZEMC) to explore the issue. A working group was established consisting of representatives from the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and from the research industry. The project was funded by the Commonwealth Attorney-General{\textquoteright}s Department (AGD), with the resultant report prepared by the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and the working group on behalf of ANZEMC. As at 11 July, the report has not been endorsed by ANZEMC CESC or AGD.

}, author = {Elspeth Rae and Phil Campbell and Katharine Haynes and Andrew Gissing and Coates, Lucinda} } @article {bnh-2448, title = {An analysis of building losses and human fatalities from natural disasters: Annual project report 2014-2015}, number = {152}, year = {2015}, month = {12/2015}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Measuring and understanding the impacts of natural hazards in terms of the toll of human life and building damage is a fundamental first step to enabling efficient and strategic risk reduction. By taking a scientific approach to the collection and analysis of accurate information and intelligence, governments, agencies and the wider community are better positioned to reduce disaster risks.

Specifically, the project will provide a longitudinal analysis of the social and environmental circumstances that led to fatalities in order to examine trends over time in terms of exposure and vulnerability.\  These trends will also be interpreted in the context of emerging issues (e.g. ageing population and population shifts, building codes etc), and how these issues might influence vulnerability and exposure trends in the future.\  The project will also provide an analysis of building damage by hazard and state/territory due to natural hazards. The timeframe for both fatalities and building damage will be from 1900 to the present.

The outcomes of this project will inform a wide-range of emergency management and government end users to advise on and update policy, practice and resource allocation.\ 

}, issn = {152}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda} } @article {bnh-2350, title = {Building best practice in child-centred disaster risk reduction: Annual project report 2014-2015}, number = {142}, year = {2015}, month = {02/11/2015}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This Annual Report summarises progress to date on Building Best Practice in Child-Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (CC-DRR), with a focus on 2014-2015, but also including the first half of 2014.\  The first 1.5 years has included both scoping and review and the initiation of both pilot and main research.\  A scoping exercise reviewed progress in theory development and across the CC-DRR policy-practice-research nexus.\  In doing so, a parsimonious research narrative emerged intended to build on progress to date but, critically, solve problems and challenges across that nexus.\  The narrative has two main parts to it as follows:

Research to date has included pilot research focused on major stakeholders{\textquoteright} views, including children and youth, households and parents/caregivers, teachers and school personnel, emergency management/DRR professionals.\  With an ultimate research focus squarely on reflecting End User needs, particularly those focused on utilization, many consultations and end user workshopping have been successful in defining a stepwise project and utilisation draft roadmap. \ A first step is to ascertain whether current CC-DRR-focused disaster resilience education (DRE) programs reflect stakeholder needs and reflect theory and promising, good and best practices through developing a CC-DRR Practice and Evaluation Framework. Through an End User/Project Team co-development process, the Framework is then planned to be used to {\textquotedblleft}co-evaluate{\textquotedblright} End User agency DRE programs.

Following this {\textquotedblleft}stakeholder-supported, evidence-based practice{\textquotedblright} step, then DRE programs will be examined for {\textquotedblleft}practice-based evidence{\textquotedblright}, including child learning outcomes, DRR and resilience outcomes and cost effectiveness outcomes.\  Both EBP and PBE steps are couched within an implementation framework, with project research designed to support both policy- and practice-based implementation of CC-DRR/DRE programs.\  The diagram on the next page provides a visual overview of this narrative.\ \  Finally, the report documents the various research and related activities that are intended to support this overall program of research.

}, issn = {142}, author = {Kevin Ronan and Briony Towers and Katharine Haynes and Eva Alisic and Susan Davie and Marla Petal and Nick Ireland and John Handmer and David Johnston} } @conference {bnh-1618, title = {Estimating the Impacts of Natural Hazards on Fatalities and Building Losses Conference Paper 2014}, booktitle = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and AFAC Wellington Conference 2014}, year = {2015}, month = {02/2015}, abstract = {

This paper is a first pass at quantifying the impacts of natural hazards on fatalities and building losses in Australia over the past century. The emphasis is on developing a methodology which allows the effects of societal changes (population and wealth) across time to be taken into consideration. This process, termed normalisation, effectively estimates the building losses or fatalities from an event as if the event were to impact present-day society, thus allowing a comparison of the most damaging natural hazard events, even if they occurred many years apart. PerilAUS, a database of natural hazard events in Australia and virtually complete since 1900, is described. Future research into losses from natural hazards in Australia is documented.

}, author = {Robin van den Honert and Coates, Lucinda and Katharine Haynes and R Crompton} } @article {bnh-2390, title = {Gendered responses to the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria, Australia}, journal = {Geographical Research}, year = {2015}, month = {11/2015}, abstract = {

This paper presents findings from a gendered analysis of resident responses to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires (wildfires) in Victoria, Australia. One hundred and seventy-three people lost their lives in the bushfires and more than 2000 houses were destroyed. Previous research on Black Saturday has largely focused on issues of resident preparedness and response, with limited consideration of the role of gender in household decisions and actions. This paper examines the gendered dimensions of risk awareness, preparedness and response among households affected by the bushfires. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with over 600 survivors and a questionnaire of 1314 households in fire-affected areas. Analysis revealed that women more often wanted to leave than men, who more often wanted to stay and defend property against the bushfires. Nevertheless, findings suggest that broad-brush characterisations of staying to defend as a masculine response and leaving as a feminine response are misguided. Although some women expressed a strong desire to leave, others were resolute on staying to defend. Equally, while some men were determined to stay and defend, others had never considered it an option. Despite this, the research identified numerous instances where disagreement had arisen as a result of differing intentions. Conflict most often stemmed from men{\textquoteright}s reluctance to leave, and was most apparent where households had not adequately planned or discussed their intended responses. The paper concludes by considering the degree to which the findings are consistent with other research on gender and bushfire, and the implications for bushfire safety policy and practice.

}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1745-5871.12162/abstract}, author = {J Whittaker and Eriksen, Christine and Katharine Haynes} } @conference {bnh-2087, title = {How do we reduce vehicle related deaths: exploring Australian flood fatalities 1900-2015 - non peer reviewed extended abstract}, booktitle = {Adelaide Conference 2015}, year = {2015}, address = {Adelaide, Australia}, abstract = {

Research proceedings from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC \& AFAC Conference in Adelaide, 1-3 September 2015.\ 

}, author = {Andrew Gissing and Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Chas Keys} } @conference {bnh-1622, title = {Promoting Child Resilience to Disasters: Policy, Practice, Research Conference Paper 2014}, booktitle = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and AFAC Wellington Conference 2014}, year = {2015}, month = {02/2015}, abstract = {

The recently published Synthesis Report on the Post-2015 Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR, 2013) places children at the centre of successful adaptation to disasters: {\textquotedblleft}In particular children and youth have been singled out as having specific needs in terms of school safety, child-centred risk assessments and risk communication. But, more importantly, if appropriately educated and motivated on disaster risk reduction, they will lead and become the drivers of change.{\textquotedblright} Equally, here in Australia, the role of disaster education in managing disaster risk has been recognised as a major priority in the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience (Australian Government, 2011). While Child-Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (CC-DRR) is increasingly popular across agencies and organisations around the world, rigorous empirical research on the efficacy of the approach is limited. This three-year program of research is planning a range of projects, unified through various means, and an integrated narrative, to increase the reach and impact of CC-DRR education within communities in Australia and New Zealand.

}, author = {Kevin Ronan and Briony Towers and Kate McAuslan and Vicki Johnson and Eva Alisic and Susan Davie and John Handmer and Katharine Haynes and Nick Ireland and Marla Petal and Avianto Amri and David Johnston} } @article {bnh-3415, title = {Reducing deaths from driving into floodwaters}, journal = {Crisis Response Journal}, volume = {11}, year = {2015}, month = {12/2015}, pages = {66-67}, chapter = {66}, abstract = {

Motorists entering floodwaters are a major cause of flood fatalities: fast flowing water, even just 30cm deep, can wash a car off the road and drivers may be unable to see what lies beneath flooded roads, with large sections being washed away.

}, url = {http://www.crisis-response.com/archive/article.php?num=990}, author = {Andrew Gissing and Katharine Haynes and Coates, Lucinda and Chas Keys} } @article {bnh-2676, title = {Sheltering practices during bushfire}, year = {2015}, month = {11/2015}, institution = {CSIRO}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This project aimed to examine circumstances and challenges experienced by residents when sheltering\ during bushfires in order to establish an evidence base to support policy reform and community education\ initiatives. To address this, this report presents: 1) a review of sheltering practices in Australia and 2) the\ results of a qualitative and quantitative investigation of people{\textquoteright}s experiences while sheltering during the\ {\textquoteright}Black Saturday{\textquoteright} bushfires on 7 February 2009.

}, author = {Blanchi, Raphaele and J Whittaker and Katharine Haynes and Justin Leonard and Kimberley Opie and Mark Holland and Stephanie Dreyfuss} } @article {bnh-1658, title = {Exploring 167 years of vulnerability: An examination of extreme heat events in Australia 1844{\textendash}2010}, journal = {Environmental Science and Policy}, volume = {42}, year = {2014}, month = {10/2014}, pages = {33-44}, chapter = {33}, abstract = {

Despite their relative importance in terms of human mortality, extreme heat events have not attracted the same level of study compared with other natural hazards in regards to vulnerability and implications for emergency management and policy change. Definitional confusion and inconsistencies in defining heat related deaths over time have made it difficult to determine an absolute death toll. Notwithstanding these issues, this study employs PerilAUS {\textendash} Risk Frontiers{\textquoteright} database of natural hazard event impacts {\textendash} in combination with official sources in an attempt to provide a lower-bound estimate of heat-associated deaths in Australia since European settlement. From 1844 to 2010, extreme heat events have been responsible for at least 5332 fatalities in Australia and, since 1900, 4555: more than the combined total of deaths from all other natural hazards. Over 30\% of those deaths occurred in just nine events.

Both deaths and death rates (per unit of population) fluctuate widely but show an overall decrease with time. The male to female death-rate ratio has fluctuated and approaches but does not reach equality in more recent times. In line with other studies, seniors have been the most vulnerable age group overall, with infants also over-represented. Policy implications in view of a warming climate and an ageing population are discussed.

}, keywords = {Extreme heat event, Heat waves, Mortality statistics, Natural disasters, Vulnerability}, doi = {doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2014.05.003}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901114000999}, author = {Coates, Lucinda and Katharine Haynes and James O{\textquoteright}Brien and John McAneney and Felipe Dimer de Oliveira} } @article {bnh-1350, title = {Investigating the activation of community fire units in the Blue Mountains during the October 2013 bushfires}, year = {2014}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, abstract = {

Fire \& Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) engaged Risk Frontiers to examine the effectiveness of Community Fire Units (CFUs) activated in the Blue Mountains, NSW during the period of heightened bushfire activity from 17 to 23 October 2013. Four focus groups, one interview and an online survey were utilised in order to explore 1) the activities undertaken and their impact on damage reduction and 2) the effectiveness of the equipment and training provided to CFU members.

Fieldwork was conducted between December 2013 and February 2014. The questionnaire was completed by 328 CFU members, giving a response rate of 32.5\%. The predominant respondents were men, aged 55{\textendash}64 years, working full-time, living in their own home as a couple without dependents and working more than 20 km from their home. A total of six CFUs were included in the focus groups and interview, with a total of 22 men and three women in attendance. All four focus groups and the interview were digitally recorded and professionally transcribed. Salient themes in the qualitative data were coded according to the specific aims of the research. Quotes are provided where possible in order for the respondent{\textquoteright}s voices to be heard.

The conclusions and findings section summarises the most salient points emerging from the quantitative and qualitative results in relation to the aims and objectives of the research. These findings are provided for FRNSW to consider in the context of their CFU program.

The main findings include:

}, author = {Katharine Haynes and Deanne Bird} } @article {bnh-2776, title = {Recovery and Resettlement following the 2011 flash flooding in Lockyer Valley}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction,}, volume = {8}, year = {2014}, chapter = {20}, author = {Tetsuya Okada and Katharine Haynes and Deanne Bird and Robin van den Honert and David King} } @article {BF-3950, title = {Community safety during the 2009 Australian {\textquoteleft}Black Saturday{\textquoteright} bushfires: an analysis of household preparedness and response}, journal = {International Journal of Wildland Fire}, year = {2013}, month = {31/05/2013}, doi = {10.1071/WF12010}, url = {http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/WF12010.htm}, author = {J Whittaker and Katharine Haynes and John Handmer and Jim McLennan} } @article {BF-4274, title = {Environmental circumstances surrounding bushfire fatalities in Australia 1901{\textendash}2011}, journal = {Environmental Science \& Policy}, year = {2013}, month = {11/2013}, pages = {1-12}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {This paper describes the development and analysis of a dataset covering bushfire related life loss in Australia over the past 110 years (1901{\textendash}2011). Over this time period 260 bushfires have been associated with a total of 825 known civilian and firefighter fatalities. This database was developed to provide an evidence base from which an Australian national fire danger rating system can be developed and has benefits in formalising our understanding of community exposure to bushfire. The database includes detail of the spatial, temporal and localised context in which the fatalities occurred. This paper presents the analysis of 674 civilian fatalities. The analysis has focused on characterising the relationship between fatal exposure location, weather conditions (wind speed, temperature, relative humidity and drought indices), proximity to fuel, activities and decision making leading up to the death. The analysis demonstrates that civilian fatalities were dominated by several iconic bushfires that have occurred under very severe weather conditions. The fatalities from Australia{\textquoteright}s 10 worst bushfire days accounted for 64\% of all civilian fatalities. Over 50\% of all fatalities occurred on days where the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) exceeded 100 (the current threshold for declaring a day as {\textquoteleft}catastrophic{\textquoteright}) proximal to the fatality. The dominant location category was open air representing 58\% of all fatalities followed by 28\% in structures, and 8\% in vehicles (6\% are unknown). For bushfires occurring under weather conditions exceeding an FFDI value of 100, fatalities within structures represented over 60\% of all fatalities. These were associated with people dying while attempting to shelter mainly in their place of residence. Of the fatalities that occurred inside a structure in a location that was specifically known, 41\% occurred in rooms with reduced visibility to the outside conditions. Over 78\% of all fatalities occurred within 30 m of the forest.}, keywords = {Fatalities, Policy, Warnings, Wildfire, WUI}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2013.09.013}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901113002074}, author = {Blanchi, Raphaele and Justin Leonard and Katharine Haynes and Kimberley Opie and Melissa James and Felipe Dimer de Oliveira} } @article {2047, title = {Australian bushfire fatalities 1900-2008: exploring trends in relation to the {\textquoteleft}Prepare, stay and defend or leave early{\textquoteright} policy}, journal = {Environmental Science \& Policy}, volume = {13}, year = {2010}, month = {05/2010}, pages = {185 - 194}, abstract = {

In many jurisdictions, including parts of the US, authorities often dictate mandatory evacuations of communities threatened by bushfire (wildfire). Prior to the 2009 [{\textquoteleft}]Black Saturday{\textquoteright} fires in Victoria, Australian fire authorities in all States advised residents to decide whether they would prepare to stay and defend homes or leave early. The clear intent of that policy was to avoid late evacuations and the risks to life that this could entail. This study re-examines evidence underpinning this policy using analyses of a database of bushfire fatalities. The database contains information on 552 civilian (non-fire fighter) fatalities obtained from print media archives at Risk Frontiers and forensic, witness and police statements contained within coronial inquest reports for all bushfire fatalities between 1901 and 2008. This data, compiled before the Black Saturday fires, clearly show the dangers of being caught outside during a bushfire and the gendered division of the circumstances of these deaths. While men have been most often killed outside while attempting to protect assets, most female and child fatalities occurred while sheltering in the house or attempting to flee. The database provides a benchmark against which the Black Saturday experience can be examined.

}, keywords = {Community safety, Fatalities, Policy, Wildfire, Wildland-urban interface}, isbn = {1462-9011}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2010.03.002}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1462901110000201}, author = {Katharine Haynes and John Handmer and John McAneney and Tibbits, Amalie and Coates, Lucinda} } @inbook {BF-1227, title = {Preparing for Bushfires: The public education challenges facing fire agencies}, booktitle = {Community bushfire safety}, year = {2008}, publisher = {CSIRO Publishing}, organization = {CSIRO Publishing}, chapter = {117-126}, author = {Paton, Douglas and Wright, Lyndsey}, editor = {John Handmer and Katharine Haynes} } @inbook {BF-1277, title = {Property Safety: judging structural safety}, booktitle = {Community bushfire safety}, year = {2008}, url = {http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/5819.htm }, author = {Justin Leonard}, editor = {John Handmer and Katharine Haynes} } @inbook {BF-1242, title = {Economics of Bushfire Management}, booktitle = {Community Bushfire Safety}, year = {2007}, publisher = {CSIRO Publishing/ Bushfire CRC}, organization = {CSIRO Publishing/ Bushfire CRC}, isbn = {9.78064E+12}, url = {http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/5819.htm}, author = {Gaminda Ganewatta and John Handmer}, editor = {John Handmer and Katharine Haynes} }