Residents in Northern NSW have been using the Hazards Near Me app in their thousands over the past week, keeping up with the latest emergency information as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred passed through the region.
As the cyclone approached last Friday, the number of people using the Hazards Near Me app was almost four times higher than average, with more than 166,000 active users up from an average of 47,000.
The app allows users to set up a Watch Zone to personalise the information received with location-specific alerts and up-to-date warnings during a natural disaster like ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
With input from the NSW State Emergency Services (NSW SES) and NSW Rural Fire Service, the app is constantly evolving to provide the most current information available including weather warnings and advice on how to stay safe during times of natural disaster for impacted communities, said Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib.
“We want to thank communities across Northern NSW who prepared for ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and encourage them to continue to follow the advice of emergency services as the response continues,” said Minister Dib.
“In times of emergency or disaster, I encourage people to go to trusted government sources for information and the latest warnings and advice to understand what is happening in their area and what they need to do to stay safe.
“As we start the work of recovery, the NSW Government stands ready to support the community to get back to normal.”
The Hazards Near Me app is available for both iOS and Android systems. For more information, go to Hazards Near Me app | NSW Government.
