Disaster Risk Reduction Fund - Building Disaster Risk Knowledge

Key information

• Status: Closed (December 2022)
• Funding awarded: $3.98 million across 2 projects
• Project completion: must be completed and financially acquitted by December 2026

Objectives

The Building Disaster Risk Knowledge Stream aims to:

• address priority gaps in the emergency services sector’s knowledge and understanding of natural disasters such as bushfires and floods. Research findings are intended to translate into practical strategies across prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management
• enable evidence-based and evidence- informed decision-making for policies, programs, and disaster risk reduction activities
• strengthen the capability of NSW Government agencies and sector partners in natural hazard research and data management
• progress research-related recommendations from inquiries and reviews into natural disasters, including the NSW Bushfire Inquiry and Royal Commission
• improve collaboration between NSW Government agencies, academic institutions, Commonwealth Government, and other key stakeholders in natural hazard research.

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

Funding: $3,179,216

Project: Monitoring to rapidly detect changes to fire risks to ecosystems under evolving climate and land management futures

This project will establish a long-term ecosystem and land management monitoring program to make NSW a world leader in bushfire management. The work includes:

• creating and consolidating on-ground monitoring infrastructure to detect long-term changes in ecosystem attributes and cultural values in response to changing fire regimes
• supporting Bushfire Risk Management Planning by ensuring plans include up-to- date information on risks to ecosystems and cultural values
• applying Fire extent and severity mapping (FESM) to support and inform Bushfire Risk Management Planning
• publishing results so knowledge is high quality, easily found and shared with all stakeholders involved in Bushfire Risk Management Planning
• implementing cultural fire management objectives in partnership with Aboriginal communities at selected sites.

Premier’s Department & NSW Reconstruction Authority

Funding: $807,500

Project: State Emergency Risk and Capability Assessment (SERCA)

This project will deliver:

• building on the 2023 State Disaster Mitigation Plan (SDMP) Risk Assessment that identifies areas of high natural hazard risk in NSW and aligns with the NSW Capability Development Framework
• insights to help decision makers understand current emergency management capabilities and gaps at the local, regional and state level
• improved investment and planning for emergency management capability, disaster risk mitigation and short-to-medium term decision-making across key stakeholders.

Contact

Email: drrf@resilience.nsw.gov.au