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public information

Public Information Campaign

Case Study - Johnstone River Flooding

How to Initiate a Public Information Campaign on Flooding

How to Initiate a Public Information Campaign on Flooding

Some of the initiatives that could be utilised to convey the general messages are listed below:

• Slogan - a simple slogan that could appear on signs, booklets, stickers etc.
• Flood Signs - showing the colour-coded flood bands and the heights of previous floods. These could be erected along the riverbank (e.g. next to bridges) and could include photographs of previous floods at that location.
• Historical Displays – Similar to the flood signs but perhaps more regional in focus. An obvious place in Innisfail would be at the wharf (the display would need to be flood proof or replaced after floods!).
• Totem Poles - showing the colour-coded flood bands (refer to 10.1.5). In order to encourage community acceptance, it is recommended that flood totem poles do not include any information on historical floods nor any signage indicating their relation to flooding to reduce vandalism. This will help to reduce the community feel that they being publicly labelled as “flood prone”. This places a greater reliance on leaflets and advertising to ensure understanding of flood totems significance.
• Flood Awareness Leaflets - containing general flooding information, including an explanation of the colour-coded flood bands. This could be a separate leaflet or an expansion (and renaming) of the current Cyclone Advice Booklet. A leaflet could be sent to homes on a regular basis (e.g. sent out with the rates notice every few months), or the booklet distributed say once a year to every home.
• Flood Awareness Week - a week of the year (preferably at the start of Summer) devoted to promoting flood awareness. Features on flooding, including dramatic photographs of previous floods, could be run in the local newspapers. Local radio stations could hold competitions with a flood theme etc. Flood awareness workshops could be held with flood wardens during this week.
• Guided tours could be run showing historical flood marks, mitigation systems and flood warning systems.
• Flood Education in Schools - provide schools with information kits and activities that are designed to increase flood awareness. This could be coordinated with the Flood Awareness Week.
• Web Site – The JSC web-site should include flood awareness and flood warning information.