2024 EMPA Australia award winners

EMPA Australia Awards for Excellence in Communication

The Annual EMPA Awards for Excellence in Emergency Communication have been established to recognise those who have made a significant contribution to emergency communications in Australia and New Zealand.

The EMPA Australia 2024 Awards for Excellence in Emergency Communications were presented at the conference dinner in Canberra on 5 June 2024.

For emergency communication - Readiness and Resilience

A project or activity that contributes to improved community preparedness and/or resilience.

Winners
Plant Health Australia,
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries QLD,
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action VIC,
Department of Primary Industries NSW and
Animal Health Australia
with the project, “National Biosecurity Training Hub”

Highly Commended
Get Ready Queensland team at the Queensland Reconstruction Authority
with the campaign, “Encouraging Queenslanders to Get Ready - a multi-channel approach to state-wide preparedness”

For emergency communication - Community Engagement

Collaborating effectively with diverse and varied communities.

Promoting collaborative communication methods and engagement with the aim that communities will eventually drive their own programs.

Winners
Natural Hazards Research Australia,
Leadrrr,
Country Fire Authority and
Harkaway Primary School
with the project, “Schools in Fire Country”

Highly Commended
Australian Disaster Alliance
with the program “Resilience Passport”

For emergency communication - Response

Communicating effectively during an emergency response

Winner
Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet
with, “Queensland Government Crisis Communication Network - response to severe weather triple threat”

Highly Commended
Northern Territory Government Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet
with, “Northern Territory - Emergency messages in language”

For published research that advances emergency communication by:

  • Improving community preparedness and/or resilience

  • Increasing the effectiveness of communication during an emergency response;

  • Enabling agencies to better support communities recovering from an adverse event.

Winners
Natural Hazards Research Australia,
Macquarie University,
Queensland University of Technology,
University of Southern Queensland,
New South Wales SES and
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
with the research project, “Community experiences of the 2022 Australian floods - Queensland and New South Wales”

Highly Commended
Victorian State Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
with the project, “Communicating and engaging with people most at risk in emergencies: Better practice recommendations“

For emergency communication - Recovery

Communicating effectively during an emergency recovery

Winner
Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA
with “The Kimberley Floods State Recovery Communications Project”.