MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: GGV8Cruza on July 08, 2011, 11:19:01 AM
-
Have not seen this service before but signed up to it today, will be interesting to see how it goes
http://www.ewn.com.au/
GG
-
The government agencies have access to the Telco's for sms and alert capabilities if it really needs to send a message. i believe they provide a message to the telcos and then the telcos set up the communication to be sent to the numbers in the registered address of the account if it falls in the damage prone area.
last i heard of it being used was the fires in Victoria.. but i'm sure it would have been used in the QLD floods and cyclones.
-
let me know how much spam you get ;)
-
I have been signed up for EWN for nearly a year now, seemed to work ok over the wet season when watches and warnings were initially released sometimes the the updated watches/warning info was a bit slow coming through on text.
Have not received any spam ;D
-
I just wear this....
(http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c31014ba533b.gif)
-
I know they trial it at Esk in the Brisbane Valley approx 2 years ago and depending on the person's phone carrier, the alert could be up to 2 hours late in arriving.
The rural fire service also trial using sms to alert members of fires/job's and the same thing occurred with some members phones or worst no message at all.
It a great idea but I wouldn't depend on it as to keep you up to date on changing weather pattens.
Cheers
-
Joined up earlier this year when the floods were on and that we live in an area of Brisbane that seems to get hit quite bad at times with storms, thought it might be of use at times. The times we have received a SMS it has been accurate to date, thought if you're at work there isn't much you can do.
Amanda
-
We haven't joined up but did receive SMS alerts before Cyclone Yasi hit earlier in the year.
-
I just wear this....
(http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c31014ba533b.gif)
Where, gay cowboy bars?......... ;D Good chance of a#%l probe, so there goes the foil theory right there!
-
I have been signed up with
http://www.ewn.com.au/
for over a year now. You will not get any spam!
A friend of mine's Dad started it - I always get advanced warning of Thunderstorms and Hail - very helpful for getting the car under cover.
-
I not sure weather to get signed up to the warning site or get a foil Stetson or just wait till it happens . Then I will never really know just when its time to kiss my arse goodby . Just live life till its over ,,, to the full :cheers:
-
As it appears to be a business and not a government programme at some point they will need to be making money.
There are many factors influencing delivery of sms and other electronic messages but I guess if it works for you it is a good service.
Unless you meet certain criteria it appears to be free for sms and email alerts for 3 months, I did not check further to see what the costs might then be. EDIT it is $1 per month but email alerts are free all the time.
-
This is a different system to the Emergency Warning system used by agencies such as the SES and RFS. These systems send an emergency warning message and not detailed weather warnings and they deliver the message regardless of whether you have signed up or not. So, if you are in the mobile coverage area that is experiencing a disaster, your phone will get a message. (as many found out who only use prepaid and don't have to have an address registered.)
Last year in December, our town received a message to evacuate due to the floods and it made media attention as it was an inaccurate and badly worded message that panicked half the town. The other half (like myself) ignored it and laughed it off. Personally, I could do that because I knew at that stage we were under no threat as the water had yet to even lap at the bottom of the levy bank at the back of my house. And there was a helicopter parked in the next door neighbours front yard, so if I had to get out quick, I had transport!
This incident really highlighted the weakness of this system, as it really upset a great deal many people, including the elderly, some of whom were out on their lawns, in their pj's, in a panic. Thankfully, local community nurses were able to assist in calming these poor people. I must admit, to get this phone call is not pleasant...when you pick up your phone, there is an air raid type siren blasting and then a male voice telling you what to do. Can't say I think it is a great way to warn people to leave their homes, if needed. In this case, the SES on the coast did not speak with the SES in the inland and IMHO, they need to fix that problem. In the RFS, we'd never let Sydney run our show like the SES is letting Wollongong run theirs...
For everyone's info...this is an exact transcript of the text message we received last year...
SES FLOOD EVACUATION WARNING: Residents within Wee Waa levee. Prepare to evacuate now. Listen to radio. www.ses.nsw.gov.au or Tel 12500.
As you can see...its not hard to imagine the panic this incited across the town of 1500 people.
About 3 hours later, we received this message...
SES update to previous flood evacuation warning. No evacuation warning order has been issued for Wee Waa. Residents were advised to prepare only.
Yeah...read the first message again and tell me you would think that it was just a preparation advice. ::)
Sorry...a bit off topic but I just wanted to show you the difference between the actual emergency warning system and this "early warning" system...
-
SES sent a warning out down here a couple of mths back.
My mobile went of about 1:30 in the morning saying there was a possibility of a black-out - THANKS FOR WAKING ME UP DICK!
-
let me know how much spam you get ;)
Actually mate NONE, I subscribe to this service, I know of a couple of people that subscribe to the service and it saved their lives. Bloody good service in my opinion. During Yasi friends of our went south to stay with relatives and 4 trees went through the house, definatly would have serverly injured them if not killed them.
-
I just wear this....
(http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c31014ba533b.gif)
Very Fetching ;D
-
Very Fetching ;D
Good for cooking potatos in the fire too :cup:
-
Redback Are you having a go at Mr Potato head ??? ??? :cheers:
-
I have been signed up with
http://www.ewn.com.au/ (http://www.ewn.com.au/)
for over a year now. You will not get any spam!
A friend of mine's Dad started it - I always get advanced warning of Thunderstorms and Hail - very helpful for getting the car under cover.
It was good while it was Free.
Now they want you to pay... but I expect this was the plan all along..
-
I have been signed up to the EWN from the start. While I believe that it has it merits, and indeed has warned my on occasion of some big storms. I find it to be a little "hit and miss" at times. I often get alerts for the wrong area, or alerts for a storm that never appears. I feel this may be more of a problem with BOM tho. I worry that people may become complacent if there are too many "false" warning sent out. While I understand that suitable prior warning needs to be issued to allow peopl time to react, I also feel that complacency can cause just as many loss of lives/property.
My solution? Educate yourself on the weather and local weather patterns. This can be just as important sometimes. Whilst meterorolgy IS a science, it is at best 50% prior knowledge and 50% guess work.
Cheers Chippy :D