Molino Stewart was engaged by Wollondilly Shire Council to produce a shire-wide Wollondilly Hazards Analysis and Emergency Management Study (HAEMS). This integrated study on all hazards impacting the entire LGA focuses on increasing local resilience, informing future growth decisions, and addressing emergency management issues including evacuation constraints. As a part of this work, a framework was developed to identify and assess key hazards in the Shire using a community-focused approach to emergency risk management. Data on 50 natural and human-made hazards was synthesised, accounting for future changes due to planned urban development and climate change. Out of the identified high-risk hazards, specific risk mapping and spatial analysis was undertaken for bushfire, flood, heatwave, earthquake and drought. Importantly, this study considered compound risk and cascading events, and the interrelationships between hazards such as heat and bushfire risk. Evidence-based advice and land use planning recommendations were identified to mitigate risk associated with all of the assessed natural and human-made hazards across the Shire.
