Emergency app to boost safety in WA

By PETER ROWE

Indigenous communities in Western Australia will have better access to lifesaving information with the launch of the new Emergency WA app, part of a $16 million investment to develop a world-class warning system.

Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the new app was a powerful tool that delivered the fastest, most reliable access to alerts and warnings for hazards across the entire State.

The new Emergency WA app enables users to receive instant notifications for warnings, incidents and other alerts in up to 10 custom watch zones.

A ‘read aloud’ feature enables users to listen to warnings, while a ‘listen live’ button provides people with the ability to listen to their live local ABC emergency broadcast.

In a life-threatening emergency, users can call Triple Zero (000) from anywhere in the app.

The launch is the latest milestone in the Cook Government’s $16 million Next Generation Warnings project to deliver a world-class emergency warning system in WA.

Emergency WA is managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). The new app follows the upgrade of the Emergency WA website and the implementation of the new Australian Warning System earlier this year.

“Dangerous weather comes with the territory of living or travelling in WA and it’s essential that everyone plays their part to stay informed and take action,” Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said.

“The Emergency WA app will empower people to make informed decisions when it matters most.

“Emergency Warnings have already been issued for bushfires from Cervantes to Esperance, burning tens of thousands of hectares of land and blocking major highways and roads – and bushfire season has only just started.”