The research, conducted after major flooding in 2021 and 2022, found that people did not understand the risks or how they should prepare for flooding. The Future Flood campaign, is a joint venture between the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and NSW Reconstruction Authority, encourages communities throughout the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley to better prepare for future floods.
Residents of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley are targeted in the campaign showing simulations of how homes might be impacted using data based on historic floods, with the aim of encouraging people to follow evacuation orders and understand their risks.
The campaign follows the story of real Valley residents who chose not to evacuate in recent floods, with the aim of encouraging them and their local communities to do so in the future. Each resident was visited by NSW SES volunteers and shown a simulation that demonstrated how floods could impact their home.
When he sees what a future flood could do to his home, Valley resident Ron remarks, “Until I see that you just can’t imagine it. Take more seriously the advice you get from SES and then I’d think twice when someone comes and knocks on my door and asks, ‘are you staying or are you going?
Spatial Media was engaged to create the 3D simulations of real residential homes with their cars, pot plants, windows, and front yard accurately detailed and flood data modelling used to then animate the future flood impacts, directly confronting their previous assertions that they would not evacuate if given a warning. Spatial Media’s 3D animations visibly changed minds as was captured on-camera by the crew, and convinced residents to heed future flood warnings and evacuation calls after visually being able to witness the future flood impacts in context.
