Disaster Risk Reduction panel talks local knowledge

Tuesday 13 October was the International Day for Disaster Reduction, with the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC hosting a discussion panel at the Australasian Natural Hazards Management Conference in Perth.

The international theme for the Day in 2015 was Knowledge for Life, with a focus on the traditional, indigenous and local knowledge that complement modern science and add to an individual’s and societies’ resilience.

The CRC organised a panel of speakers to discuss this topic, at the University of Western Australia.

• Prof Carmen Lawrence – University of Western Australia, researcher on community perceptions of risk when experiencing hazards.
• Erin Fuery – State Manger Emergency Services, Australian Red Cross. Erin has worked with communities throughout Western Australia on preparation and recovery from hazards.
• Anne Garland - Research Associate, Applied Research in Environmental Sciences Nonprofit in the US. Anne is working on risk management with indigenous groups in the US/Alaska and in NZ

The International Day for Disaster Reduction started in 1989 with the approval of the United Nations General Assembly. The UN General Assembly sees the day as a way to promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

The day promotes how people and communities are reducing their risk to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of disaster risk reduction.

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC was last year appointed the national coordinator for the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) in Australia. This is backed by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the International Council for Science and the International Social Science Council and seeks to promote and support disaster risk reduction research programs and activities around the world, including the International Day for Disaster Reduction.

http://www.unisdr.org/we/campaign/iddr

Watch the highlights and the full event below.

Last year, the CRC hosted the event at the Australian National University. See videos of the event.