As the NSW State Emergency Service approaches its 60^th year of operation, the effects of climate change have clearly started to impact how the organisation will shape its future. Whilst there have been many significant events over the course of the Service’s history, recent events (between approximately 2009 – February 2013) have shown a trend toward more rapid onset, increased frequency and longevity combined with more devastating impacts.

This busy period has provided the NSW SES with a turbo-charged learning experience, including resourcing long campaigns, priorities on information, communicating with communities, the limitation of incident command and so much more.

The intense examination of agencies in other states has also served to ensure the focus of the NSW State Emergency Service remains on building contemporary emergency management services and capabilities into the immediate future.

The establishment of a Lessons Learned capability in 2011 has provided a platform from which the observations made throughout those protracted and significant flooding events, can inform the strategic direction of the Service.

It has become very clear that the community’s resilience to major emergencies and catastrophic weather effects must underpin that strategic focus.  Whilst the traditional models of flood planning and evacuation have served to ensure limited injury and death in our communities, there is an overwhelming need to increase our impact on land use planning, strengthen our linkages in communities and build resilience to natural disasters such as flooding.

One thing is clear, the most important asset for an emergency service today is the rapid acquisition and delivery of tailored and up to date information. This presentation will both overview the learning experience and contemplate how this emergency services tends to deal with it all.