Hi-tech flood warnings

Simon Oakes

Edexcel Principal Examiner

Tapsell, S., Burton, R., Oakes, S. and Parker, D. (2004)

The Social Performance of Flood Warning Communications Technologies

Environment Agency Technical Report W5C-016

Lecture outlineLecture outline

• Traditional warning methods and their Traditional warning methods and their weaknessesweaknesses

• What are hi-tech warnings and why are What are hi-tech warnings and why are they needed?they needed?

• What are “vulnerable groups”?What are “vulnerable groups”?• Environment Agency: new hi-tech plansEnvironment Agency: new hi-tech plans• Who uses mobiles and the internet?Who uses mobiles and the internet?• Will hi-tech warnings work?Will hi-tech warnings work?• How is this relevant to my course?How is this relevant to my course?• Writing about flood managementWriting about flood management

Traditional warning Traditional warning methodsmethods• Door knockingDoor knocking• Flood wardens Flood wardens • Mobile loudhailersMobile loudhailers• Flood sirens Flood sirens • Public address systemsPublic address systems• Television and radio broadcasts Television and radio broadcasts • Television teletext (1980s)Television teletext (1980s)• Automatic Voice Messaging (AVM) via Automatic Voice Messaging (AVM) via

home telephone lines (1990s)home telephone lines (1990s)• Dial-and-listen services (e.g. Floodline)Dial-and-listen services (e.g. Floodline)

That was then .... (1953)That was then .... (1953)

Why are new methods needed?• ...By the 1970s,

flood forecasters are producing timely and accurate flood forecasts and are giving good flood warnings.

• ...But people living in floodplains often say that no flood warning has actually been received by them.

• ...must do better.

Extra concern: vulnerable Extra concern: vulnerable groupsgroups

• Blind or visually impairedBlind or visually impaired

• Deaf or hard of hearingDeaf or hard of hearing

• Impaired mobilityImpaired mobility

• ElderlyElderly

• Low income earnersLow income earners

• The homelessThe homeless

• Ethnic minoritiesEthnic minorities

This is now... Hi-Tech This is now... Hi-Tech WarningsWarnings• Mobile SMS text messaging and Mobile SMS text messaging and

broadcastbroadcast• Mobile telephone and voice mailMobile telephone and voice mail• E-mail E-mail • Digital TV and digital radio broadcastDigital TV and digital radio broadcast• Real time internet flood data: live Real time internet flood data: live

camerascameras• Internet websites with real-time warningsInternet websites with real-time warnings• Centrally activated in-home alert systems Centrally activated in-home alert systems

(similar to smoke alarms and triggered (similar to smoke alarms and triggered using digital radio signals)using digital radio signals)

Environment Agency: Environment Agency: recent hi-tech developmentrecent hi-tech development

• 2006: the Environment Agency introduces 2006: the Environment Agency introduces Floodline Warnings DirectFloodline Warnings Direct (FWD) service (FWD) service

• Direct flood warning messages can now be Direct flood warning messages can now be routed routed to mobile phonesto mobile phones by SMS text and PCs via email, by SMS text and PCs via email, as well as home telephones, mobile phones, pagers, as well as home telephones, mobile phones, pagers, and faxes and faxes

• People who are at risk will be able to People who are at risk will be able to self-register self-register on the interneton the internet and choose how they would like to and choose how they would like to be contacted in the event of a flood warning being be contacted in the event of a flood warning being issuedissued

• A A faster computer systemfaster computer system is also being introduced is also being introduced so that all warnings will be issued more quickly, no so that all warnings will be issued more quickly, no matter which options have been selected.matter which options have been selected.

Environment Agency: Environment Agency: future hi-tech warningsfuture hi-tech warnings• Floodline Warnings DirectFloodline Warnings Direct marks the first step in marks the first step in

a five-year plan “to use new communications a five-year plan “to use new communications technologies and new media to get environmental technologies and new media to get environmental messages across in innovative ways – through messages across in innovative ways – through digital TV and new generation mobile phones”. digital TV and new generation mobile phones”.

• In the future, In the future, digital televisiondigital television has considerable has considerable potential to save lives, should future government potential to save lives, should future government legislation allow warning messages to be displayed legislation allow warning messages to be displayed on-screen, irrespective of a viewer’s choice of on-screen, irrespective of a viewer’s choice of channel. channel.

• A A Radio Data SystemRadio Data System (RDS) might be introduced, (RDS) might be introduced, with receivers similar to smoke alarms placed in with receivers similar to smoke alarms placed in homes. These would be activated in an emergency homes. These would be activated in an emergency situation using digitally transmitted signals. situation using digitally transmitted signals.

Will hi-tech warnings work?Will hi-tech warnings work?

•Social barriers to Social barriers to useuse

•Cost of technologiesCost of technologies

Will hi-tech warnings work?Will hi-tech warnings work?

•Social barriers to useSocial barriers to use

•Cost of technologiesCost of technologies

•Always-on or dial-up?Always-on or dial-up?

•Geographical Geographical availabilityavailability

•Market fragmentation Market fragmentation

•SpamSpam

PopulationStructuree.g. age and

income

Warning Methodse.g. sirens andmobiles

Physical and human geography

e.g. mobile reception

Will Warnings

Work?

Perfect flood management?Perfect flood management?

•100% effectiveness (no lives 100% effectiveness (no lives lost) can never be guaranteed lost) can never be guaranteed using a single method...using a single method...

• ...so a multi-strand approach ...so a multi-strand approach will always be neededwill always be needed

How is this relevant to my How is this relevant to my course?course?

• Flood managementFlood management

• Hazardous environmentsHazardous environments

• People and the physical environmentPeople and the physical environment

“Countries at most risk from disasters caused by natural hazards tend to be poor” Discuss. (OCR A)

• Quality answer: shows understanding of levels of economic development at a variety of scales

“To what extent can prediction help in reducing hazard impact?” (Edexcel B)

• Quality answer: addresses “to what extent” by recognising prediction is only one aspect of a successful management strategy.

• Quality answer: “impact” is not spread evenly through a population: vulnerable groups

Decision-making exerciseDecision-making exercise

• Which technology shows the greatest potential for issuing and receiving flood warnings?

• After considering the pros and cons of each technology, you should recommend to the Environment Agency one technology that could be made a priority.

Your answer will refer to:

• Costs and effectiveness• Usefulness for vulnerable groups • Geographical availability

• Think about how often you check your email or phone. Would a flood warning sent by email be read in time?

Synoptic geographySynoptic geography

• Hi-tech flood warnings provide A-level candidates with an opportunity to bring together quaternary industry and hydrology.

• What human factors explain the rapid pace of development of ICT in recent years? How are hi-tech research developments helping us deal with the risks associated with the physical challenge of river flooding?

The full report that this article is based on

can be read by entering “social performance” into the search

field and downloading the free PDF file at:

http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/epages/

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