A R.A.R.E treat: understanding the state's response to natural disasters

Australia is predicted to experience more extreme weather patterns. This means projected increased risks of high-fire-danger weather, more intense tropical cyclones, and frequent droughts. Governments through their state agencies encourage individuals and communities to be prepared for and show resilience to the threat of natural disasters. These processes involve state agencies producing and communicating warnings as well as advice about how to prepare for a wildfire. Particular attention was given to developing appropriate communication strategies following the February 2009 Victorian bushfires where 173 people died. The 'Effective Communication: communities and bushfire' (2010-2013) study examined the communication practices undertaken by fire and other agencies across Australia. To address this issue a framework of analysis has been developed based on narrative accounts of participants' professional roles concerning communication, community engagement and operational responsibilities. The analytic framework comprised four themes: Responsibility, Authority, Resilience and Expectations. Of note Resilience is an emerging theme in such narratives. These findings suggest that examining the ideas of resilience, authority, responsibility and expectations are one way to develop a way of conceptualising the state's response to bushfire.