Published Friday, 16 September, 2011 at 03:13 PM
Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
QPS HONOURED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
The Queensland Police Service’s use of social media during the flood and cyclone events in late 2010 and early 2011 have taken out top honours in this year’s state finals of the Australian Safer Communities Awards in Brisbane.
Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts presented the awards at Kedron today and said they were an excellent way to recognise the quiet achievers who were working for a safer Queensland.
“These awards allow us to acknowledge and honour some of people who dedicate their time and energy into making this state a safer place,” Mr Roberts said.
“The QPS social media strategy was one of the great success stories during our summer of natural disasters, and allowed us to get up to date and relevant information out to Queensland residents as quickly as possible.”
“At its height the QPS Facebook page received around 100,000 ‘likes’ and generated 39 million post impressions in one day, equating to 450 post views per second over the peak 24-hour period.”
“Disseminating public safety announcements through this page coupled with other initiatives like the livestreaming of press conferences proved extremely powerful, and far more effective than relying on traditional media alone.”
“In this manner residents were kept as up to date to possible about what was happening in their local community.”
There were four winning teams across three categories while six projects received highly commended awards and three projects received encouragement awards.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council won the Local Government Category with their project the Local Area Warden System. The council established a network of trained wardens to coordinate ‘on the ground’ situation reports during crises which were extensively used in early 2011 during Cyclone Yasi and four major floods experience in the Hinchinbrook Shire.
Surf Lifesaving Queensland and Murgon SES group also received awards in the Volunteer and Community Groups category.
Mr Roberts applauded the work of all entrants at this year’s awards.
“Anyone out there doing their bit to prevent incidents which might cause injury or even death to Queenslanders deserves to be recognised.
“I congratulate the work of these organisations and individuals who have recognised a need and have acted up on it.”
All category winners have also been nominated as Queensland’s finalists for the National Safer Communities Awards to be held in Canberra in December.
The winning teams included:
State Government Category
Winner: The Queensland Police Service, with their project ‘Social Media for Emergency and Disaster Management’. The Queensland Police Service began trialling a social media strategy in mid 2010, with the aim of providing timely and accurate public safety information and support to operational police in the course of their duties. The strategy enabled QPS to engage with and inform the broader Queensland community throughout the natural disasters of 2010 and 2011. Disseminating public safety announcements through social media proved extremely powerful, and far more effective than relying on traditional media alone to provide information to the public.
Highly Commended: The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service with their project the Post-Brisbane Floods Building Rehabilitation Program. The floods that ravaged the Brisbane CBD and inner city suburbs in January 2011 caused severe damage to infrastructure and buildings. Recognising the potential fire safety concerns and financial burden, the QFRS Building Fire Safety Unit formed a strategy and a Flood Affected Building Task Force to work with building owners to assist them to rehabilitate buildings and get the city back on its feet.
Local Government Category
Winner: Hinchinbrook Shire Council with their project the Local Area Warden System. The Hinchinbrook Shire Local Area Warden System was developed following the disastrous major flood event in Ingham 2009. During this event, some communities were isolated for up to 12 days and required food and medication drops by helicopter. The council established a warden system 26 trained wardens and deputy wardens. These wardens became the point of contact for the local disaster management group and provided current, ‘on the ground’ situation reports during crises. In 2011 the wardens were used extensively during Cyclone Yasi and during four major floods experience in the Hinchinbrook Shire.
Private Sector Category
Highly Commended: Deaf Services Queensland for their Auslan interpretation during Queensland’s natural disasters. During the weather events of Queensland’s summer, Deaf Services Queensland provided an Auslan interpreter alongside the state disaster management team for all live broadcasts. These interpreters were rallied at very short notice, volunteering freely to be involved in these essential updates to the community. As a result, members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community were able to receive information, warnings and updates with the rest of the state.
Highly Commended: Bundaberg and Bargara Liquor Accord for their project, the Standard Drink Kit “Poured”. To teach the community about safe drinking levels, the Bundaberg Rotary teamed up with the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre Aboriginal Corporation, Turtleshell Indigenous Constructions, Polymetric Products Manufacturing and the Salvation Army to develop the Standard Drink Kit. This kit is a visual interactive education tool used to provide alcohol education to the community. The Standard Drink Kit was conceived, designed, developed, trialled and modified in Bundaberg. The kit is now being sold locally and interstate with orders increasing.
Highly Commended: Bundaberg and Bargara Liquor Accord for their project, the Liquor Accord Banning Process. Poor behaviour from patrons in licensed venues led to the development of two types of bans, enforced by the Liquor Accord, venues and the Police. Through re-educating offenders, the accord is working to achieve a behavioural shift in patrons, with extremely positive results to date.
Education, Training and Research Category
Highly Commended: The School of Fire and Rescue Training for their project, the Auxiliary Fire Fighter Learning Framework. The Auxiliary Fire Fighter Learning Framework provides a structured professional development platform to enable auxiliary staff to undertake training that satisfies the needs of the individual and the organisation, within a flexible learning environment. The program ensures a highly trained workforce is available to rural and remote areas, as well as supporting permanent staff in fringe areas.
Volunteer and Community Groups Category
Winner: Surf Life Saving Queensland, with their project ‘On The Same Wave multicultural program’. Since January 2010 Surf Life Saving Queensland has been working in partnership with the Queensland Government to help reduce beach fatalities and injuries among the state’s growing migrant and refugee population. Statistics show that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are over-represented in nation and state drowning figures and are considered a ‘high risk’ group by surf authorities. To address this issue, Surf Life Saving Queensland launched the ‘On The Same Wave’ initiative, to engage with the target audience and provide life saving surf safety education in their primary language.
Winner: The Murgon SES Support Group Incorporated, with the PALS project. The Murgon SES Support Group Incorporated have invented, patented and trademarked an efficient, safe, battery-operated LED lighting system known as PALS – the Personal Assistant Lighting System. This was completed with help from the local community consisting of 4000 people and 30 businesses. To date, 10 SES groups have benefited from the Personal Assistant Lighting System and a total of $200 000 has been put through the support group since April 2010.
Highly Commended: Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Rural Operations, for their project ‘the Volunteer Community Educators initiative’. Timely and effective fire prevention and education saves lives and property. Fire prevention over fire suppression has become a major priority for fire agencies across the country. The key to this is community education. QFRS Rural Operations began the Volunteer Community Educator initiative which assists “locals to educate locals”. Since implementation in November 2009, there are now 205 trained Volunteer Community Educators across the state.
Encouragement: The Gaeta Rural Fire Brigade, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, for their project the COP Strategy. The Gaeta Rural Fire Brigade identified an issue with communication in their community. To combat this, they developed and produced the COP strategy, which is based around Communication, Organisation, and Prevention. The implementation of this strategy has improved communications between the brigade and landholders, enabling the brigade to disseminate information on fire danger ratings, controlled burns, using fire as a management tool, training, brigade activities, improvements that have been made in the community and how to prepare for disasters, not just fire events.
Encouragement: Community Solutions, for their project Sunshine Coast Street Angels. Community Solutions, incorporating the Sunshine Coast Street Angels, specialises in the development and delivery of innovative and sustainable projects and services that target issues of community concern and opportunity. The Street Angels service provides an on-street or on-site mobile drop-in facility and safety net services to residents and visitors to the Sunshine Coast. In operation for over 11 years, the Street Angels service has contributed significantly to the increased safety and reduced risk to patrons.
Encouragement: Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation, for the Wild River Ranges response to Cyclone Yasi. The Wild River Rangers program is a Queensland government initiative that aims to improve Indigenous participation in the management of land and sea country. The Wild River Rangers group that operates in Etheridge Shire is made up of Ewamian people. This group gained cyclone response experience with Cyclone Larry, which made them the people to call for assistance with Yasi. Work including clearing fallen timber and repairing fences. The group worked for nearly three months in cyclone clean up.
Media contact – 3239 0199
Department of Community Safety Media – 3247 8186
Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts presented the awards at Kedron today and said they were an excellent way to recognise the quiet achievers who were working for a safer Queensland.
“These awards allow us to acknowledge and honour some of people who dedicate their time and energy into making this state a safer place,” Mr Roberts said.
“The QPS social media strategy was one of the great success stories during our summer of natural disasters, and allowed us to get up to date and relevant information out to Queensland residents as quickly as possible.”
“At its height the QPS Facebook page received around 100,000 ‘likes’ and generated 39 million post impressions in one day, equating to 450 post views per second over the peak 24-hour period.”
“Disseminating public safety announcements through this page coupled with other initiatives like the livestreaming of press conferences proved extremely powerful, and far more effective than relying on traditional media alone.”
“In this manner residents were kept as up to date to possible about what was happening in their local community.”
There were four winning teams across three categories while six projects received highly commended awards and three projects received encouragement awards.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council won the Local Government Category with their project the Local Area Warden System. The council established a network of trained wardens to coordinate ‘on the ground’ situation reports during crises which were extensively used in early 2011 during Cyclone Yasi and four major floods experience in the Hinchinbrook Shire.
Surf Lifesaving Queensland and Murgon SES group also received awards in the Volunteer and Community Groups category.
Mr Roberts applauded the work of all entrants at this year’s awards.
“Anyone out there doing their bit to prevent incidents which might cause injury or even death to Queenslanders deserves to be recognised.
“I congratulate the work of these organisations and individuals who have recognised a need and have acted up on it.”
All category winners have also been nominated as Queensland’s finalists for the National Safer Communities Awards to be held in Canberra in December.
The winning teams included:
State Government Category
Winner: The Queensland Police Service, with their project ‘Social Media for Emergency and Disaster Management’. The Queensland Police Service began trialling a social media strategy in mid 2010, with the aim of providing timely and accurate public safety information and support to operational police in the course of their duties. The strategy enabled QPS to engage with and inform the broader Queensland community throughout the natural disasters of 2010 and 2011. Disseminating public safety announcements through social media proved extremely powerful, and far more effective than relying on traditional media alone to provide information to the public.
Highly Commended: The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service with their project the Post-Brisbane Floods Building Rehabilitation Program. The floods that ravaged the Brisbane CBD and inner city suburbs in January 2011 caused severe damage to infrastructure and buildings. Recognising the potential fire safety concerns and financial burden, the QFRS Building Fire Safety Unit formed a strategy and a Flood Affected Building Task Force to work with building owners to assist them to rehabilitate buildings and get the city back on its feet.
Local Government Category
Winner: Hinchinbrook Shire Council with their project the Local Area Warden System. The Hinchinbrook Shire Local Area Warden System was developed following the disastrous major flood event in Ingham 2009. During this event, some communities were isolated for up to 12 days and required food and medication drops by helicopter. The council established a warden system 26 trained wardens and deputy wardens. These wardens became the point of contact for the local disaster management group and provided current, ‘on the ground’ situation reports during crises. In 2011 the wardens were used extensively during Cyclone Yasi and during four major floods experience in the Hinchinbrook Shire.
Private Sector Category
Highly Commended: Deaf Services Queensland for their Auslan interpretation during Queensland’s natural disasters. During the weather events of Queensland’s summer, Deaf Services Queensland provided an Auslan interpreter alongside the state disaster management team for all live broadcasts. These interpreters were rallied at very short notice, volunteering freely to be involved in these essential updates to the community. As a result, members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community were able to receive information, warnings and updates with the rest of the state.
Highly Commended: Bundaberg and Bargara Liquor Accord for their project, the Standard Drink Kit “Poured”. To teach the community about safe drinking levels, the Bundaberg Rotary teamed up with the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre Aboriginal Corporation, Turtleshell Indigenous Constructions, Polymetric Products Manufacturing and the Salvation Army to develop the Standard Drink Kit. This kit is a visual interactive education tool used to provide alcohol education to the community. The Standard Drink Kit was conceived, designed, developed, trialled and modified in Bundaberg. The kit is now being sold locally and interstate with orders increasing.
Highly Commended: Bundaberg and Bargara Liquor Accord for their project, the Liquor Accord Banning Process. Poor behaviour from patrons in licensed venues led to the development of two types of bans, enforced by the Liquor Accord, venues and the Police. Through re-educating offenders, the accord is working to achieve a behavioural shift in patrons, with extremely positive results to date.
Education, Training and Research Category
Highly Commended: The School of Fire and Rescue Training for their project, the Auxiliary Fire Fighter Learning Framework. The Auxiliary Fire Fighter Learning Framework provides a structured professional development platform to enable auxiliary staff to undertake training that satisfies the needs of the individual and the organisation, within a flexible learning environment. The program ensures a highly trained workforce is available to rural and remote areas, as well as supporting permanent staff in fringe areas.
Volunteer and Community Groups Category
Winner: Surf Life Saving Queensland, with their project ‘On The Same Wave multicultural program’. Since January 2010 Surf Life Saving Queensland has been working in partnership with the Queensland Government to help reduce beach fatalities and injuries among the state’s growing migrant and refugee population. Statistics show that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are over-represented in nation and state drowning figures and are considered a ‘high risk’ group by surf authorities. To address this issue, Surf Life Saving Queensland launched the ‘On The Same Wave’ initiative, to engage with the target audience and provide life saving surf safety education in their primary language.
Winner: The Murgon SES Support Group Incorporated, with the PALS project. The Murgon SES Support Group Incorporated have invented, patented and trademarked an efficient, safe, battery-operated LED lighting system known as PALS – the Personal Assistant Lighting System. This was completed with help from the local community consisting of 4000 people and 30 businesses. To date, 10 SES groups have benefited from the Personal Assistant Lighting System and a total of $200 000 has been put through the support group since April 2010.
Highly Commended: Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Rural Operations, for their project ‘the Volunteer Community Educators initiative’. Timely and effective fire prevention and education saves lives and property. Fire prevention over fire suppression has become a major priority for fire agencies across the country. The key to this is community education. QFRS Rural Operations began the Volunteer Community Educator initiative which assists “locals to educate locals”. Since implementation in November 2009, there are now 205 trained Volunteer Community Educators across the state.
Encouragement: The Gaeta Rural Fire Brigade, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, for their project the COP Strategy. The Gaeta Rural Fire Brigade identified an issue with communication in their community. To combat this, they developed and produced the COP strategy, which is based around Communication, Organisation, and Prevention. The implementation of this strategy has improved communications between the brigade and landholders, enabling the brigade to disseminate information on fire danger ratings, controlled burns, using fire as a management tool, training, brigade activities, improvements that have been made in the community and how to prepare for disasters, not just fire events.
Encouragement: Community Solutions, for their project Sunshine Coast Street Angels. Community Solutions, incorporating the Sunshine Coast Street Angels, specialises in the development and delivery of innovative and sustainable projects and services that target issues of community concern and opportunity. The Street Angels service provides an on-street or on-site mobile drop-in facility and safety net services to residents and visitors to the Sunshine Coast. In operation for over 11 years, the Street Angels service has contributed significantly to the increased safety and reduced risk to patrons.
Encouragement: Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation, for the Wild River Ranges response to Cyclone Yasi. The Wild River Rangers program is a Queensland government initiative that aims to improve Indigenous participation in the management of land and sea country. The Wild River Rangers group that operates in Etheridge Shire is made up of Ewamian people. This group gained cyclone response experience with Cyclone Larry, which made them the people to call for assistance with Yasi. Work including clearing fallen timber and repairing fences. The group worked for nearly three months in cyclone clean up.
Media contact – 3239 0199
Department of Community Safety Media – 3247 8186