The Australian Exposure Information Platform: uncovering national exposure

Photo Credit: Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

Understanding what is exposed at any location during emergencies is a highly valuable starting point for a variety of sectors. This information can be used for mitigation and operational decision making for any hazard within a defined area.

Through an online platform that was designed with, and specifically for, emergency management, the Australian Exposure Information Platform (AEIP) can be used to help estimate the potential impacts of natural or human-induced hazards or critical infrastructural failures on Australian communities. Decision makers can now easily access nationally consistent exposure information anywhere in Australia.

The AEIP produces quick, customised exposure reports that provide a detailed statistical summary of the number of people, dwellings, other buildings and structures, businesses, agricultural and environmental assets, within a user-defined area.

Since the beta version was launched in 2018, the AEIP has been used regularly by more than 240 users across Australia, from agencies such as emergency management and local government, to produce thousands of reports each month. It has become an important part of planning for Australian community preparedness and improving safety. With an unprecedented and early start to the Australian 2019/20 bushfire season, the number of exposure reports produced from the AEIP was in excess of 14,000 by more than 200 individual users.

Find out more about the AEIP here and access the tool here. You can also watch a short video about the AEIP here.