The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) joins the rest of the global community in mourning the loss of lives, livelihoods and communities during the recent catastrophic bush fires. SSSI acknowledge the extraordinary work undertaken by aid agencies, such as the Red Cross and WIRES and volunteer rural fires services working tirelessly to mitigate the destruction of these bush fires.
‘We cannot replace all that has been lost. As a community we must rebuild together,’ says SSSI President, Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse.
SSSI welcomes the announcement of the Morrison Government’s National Bushfire Recovery Agency that will coordinate a national response and help rebuild communities, and acknowledges the crucial work of other established foundations such as Minderoo that are dedicating significant funds and resources to bushfire response, recovery and resilience.
SSSI will support the Bushfire Recovery Agency and other recovery bodies in bringing our members and the wider community together to engage in mapping activities that will help government, volunteer groups and charitable organisations deliver services where they are urgently needed.
‘These fires have unified the global community. As we look towards recovery, the spatial science and surveying community have a vital role to play’ says Dr Mohamed-Ghouse.
In February, SSSI will be hosting a SSSI National Bushfire Recovery Map-a-thon. Together with our members, we invite the community to join us to collect data on areas most affected by the bushfires. Help us to provide recovery agencies accurate information to support our Nations bushfire preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery efforts.
‘SSSI and our extended network will liaise directly with relevant aid and recovery agencies to ensure we collect the exact data needed to support the recovery process’ says Dr MohamedGhouse.
As we are only at the beginning of the fire season, our thoughts and hearts go to all those who have experienced devastation and who continue to fight these threatening fires. The SSSI National Bushfire Recovery Map-a-thon is a way the surveying and spatial science profession can work with the rest of the community to provide valuable input and assistance.
If you are interested in participating in the SSSI National Bushfire Recovery Map-a-thon, please register your interest by emailing: [email protected]
