Most natural-hazard apps tell people what is happening during an emergency. Fewer than one in five help them prepare beforehand.
A free app developed through University of Tasmania research is seeking to close that gap by turning bushfire preparedness advice into practical action.
Resilient Street allows users to create checklists, set reminders, identify nearby resources and work through emergency scenarios. Households, streets and neighbourhoods can also run the same scenario at the same time, allowing them to rehearse their bushfire plans together.
The app grew from PhD research by Andrew Orange from the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, including a global study of 322 natural-hazard apps and interviews and focus groups with community members.
"People told us they didn't need another source of information. They wanted practical actions, reminders and clear guidance about what to do next," Andrew said.
"That became the focus of Resilient Street: turning 'be prepared' into manageable things people can actually do."
Participants wanted prompts to clear gutters and debris, maintain their properties, prepare important documents and organise water, chargers and evacuation items.
But the research also showed that preparedness was not simply an individual or household responsibility.
"Preparedness also happens over the fence. People told us they want to know what's happening in their street and who they can count on, without it becoming a competition," Andrew said.
"Resilient Street complements official warnings rather than replacing them. For emergency warnings, people should always use TasALERT and listen to Tasmania Fire Service advice."
The app has received feedback and content recommendations from Tasmania Fire Service and was recently showcased at Hobart City Council's Get Ready Hobart event.
Resilient Street is now available for Tasmanians to use, with researchers collecting feedback and data before, during and after the fire season.
"The app is live, but the research is continuing," Andrew said.
"We want to understand whether practical, personalised support helps people move from knowing they should prepare to actually taking action."
Resilient Street is free to download through the Apple App Store and Google Play.
