- Emergency WA to cover Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Will deliver consistent and reliable cyclone and storm warnings
- Cook Government supporting emergency services to protect the community by helping residents make crucial decisions during natural disasters
Western Australia's Emergency WA website and app will now keep residents and visitors on Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands safe and informed during cyclones and severe storms.
The new partnership between the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Commonwealth territories means that DFES will issue warnings to the remote islands via Emergency WA.
Until now vital public information before and during severe weather events has largely been shared through community noticeboards, local radio and private social media groups - channels that can be difficult for tourists to access.
This cyclone season specialised warnings will be issued in the Indian Ocean Territories by DFES on Emergency WA, giving residents and visitors reliable information to make life-saving decisions as natural disasters unfold.
DFES is a world leader in the delivery of effective public information, with extensive experience in responding to severe bushfires, floods, cyclones and other natural disasters across WA, Australia and internationally.
The extension of alerts to the remote islands follows the rollout of the Emergency WA technology in the Canadian province of Manitoba in July this year.
Emergency WA continues to be the State's most trusted source of emergency information, with more than 37 million page views in the past year and over 139 million since it was launched in 2016.
More than 238,000 people have downloaded the Emergency WA app, which was launched last December as part of the State Government's $16 million investment to ensure WA has a world-class warning system underpinned by cutting-edge research.
As the northern half of WA approaches cyclone season and the southern half enters bushfire season, residents are encouraged to stay up-to-date with local conditions by downloading the Emergency WA app and setting customised watch zones for their home and other places of interest. Notifications will be triggered if warnings or emergencies occur within those zones. Zones can be created up to 100km from a location.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia:
"Communities on Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands will now be supported by our world-class Emergency WA warning system.
"This partnership ensures residents and visitors can receive trusted, timely emergency information directly to their phones, enhancing preparedness and response when it matters most.
"The adoption of Emergency WA by the Indian Ocean Territories is also a testament to DFES' public information knowledge and strategies, which are regularly sought by other jurisdictions."
