Disaster Management & Recovery

The geospatial professional community plays a significant role in disaster situations. They can contribute essential information before, during, and after the event. In addition, their use of spatial technologies can be valuable tools in creating and sharing disaster-related information.

By leveraging the skills of the geospatial professional community and utilizing spatial technologies, disaster response can be more effective and efficient.

The DMR-SIG coordinates volunteer geospatial activities that support disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. It provides strategic direction for volunteer activities that relate to collecting, validating, verifying and sharing geospatial information required for preparedness, rent.

The SIG-DMR drives collaboration and information sharing in relation to geospatial citizens science initiatives and aims to:

• Build a well-coordinated national network of geospatial professional volunteers (organisations and individuals) able to respond to preparedness, response and disaster recovery needs.
• Provide leadership and coordination for volunteer geospatial activities.
• Develop a strategy and establish a framework that will stimulate and coordinate volunteer surveying and mapping disaster management efforts in the event of future disasters.
• Adopt policies and standards for volunteer data collection that are interoperable with the needs of government and academia.
• Consult with government and academia to determine data needs and priorities on all collaborative projects.

The Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute formed the DMR-SIG in July 2020. Chaired by Dr Lesley Arnold, the committee comprised of representatives from SSSI Commissions, Commonwealth and State government departments, National Bushfire Recovery Agency, academia, peak surveying and spatial information bodies and the private sector.

The DMR-SIG held two very successful Map-a-thons and prepared a Surveying & Spatial Volunteering Strategy Consultation document.