Ensuring that emergency management imperatives are met in the floodplain risk management process

A view from north of the Murray: Herbert, M., Keys, C. and Opper, S. (2003) Presented at the 3rd Victorian Flood Management Conference, Horsham, 2003

By developing sound practices to manage floodplains and protect flood liable communities, New South Wales (NSW) has built a proud record of achievement in reducing the flood threat. Only in relatively recent times, however, has the emergency management community been purposefully built into the processes of floodplain management by which decisions are made on land uses and flood mitigation measures. Nowadays the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), as the legislated 'combat agency' for floods, has a role in council-led deliberations about the management of flood prone environments, but difficulties have been experienced in terms of relationships with developer interests, floodplain management consultants and council officers and at times the emergency management interest has not been well addressed. This paper deals with the issues with which the SES has been confronted in its endeavours in the field of floodplain risk management, and the gains it seeks by being involved.

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