An intelligent local sensing network, known as the Baw Baw Information Network (BBIN), has been installed throughout remote locations across the Shire to deliver 24-hour monitoring of environmental conditions and enhance community safety.
Funded by a $192,000 grant from Emergency Management Victoria's Risk and Resilience Grants Program, the network comprises 7 state-of-the-art Attentis sensors installed at strategic locations in Neerim South, Erica, Noojee, Piedmont, Toorongo Falls, Thomson Dam and Mt Baw Baw Alpine village.
Using real-time inputs, the sensors can detect hot spots, changes in temperature, wind and other factors to provide early warning and risk identification of critical natural events such as bushfires and floods.
Data collected by each sensor includes:
- 360-degree thermal and visual imaging
- Air quality
- Weather conditions
- Fire ignitions
- Asset condition
BBIN monitoring information is free and available to all members of the public in real-time at www.bawbaw.network.
"Baw Baw Shire is one of the most beautiful regions in Victoria," says Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Cr Annemarie McCabe. "The reality is that some of the features that make it so beautiful – our lush forests, scenic mountains and plunging valleys – can be susceptible to extreme weather events like bushfires and floods. As a Council we are committed to protecting our beautiful region and the communities that call it home. Enhancing early warning systems and our overall resilience to extreme weather events and natural disasters is a key component of our strategy. We would like to thank and acknowledge the Victorian Government for supporting this project to keep our region and its people safe."
"The Baw Baw Information Network is truly cutting-edge," says Deputy Mayor Michael Leaney, a person who is no stranger to the extreme weather events and bushfires in the remote areas of the Shire. "The intelligent real-time sensing data it provides will be a game-changing contribution to how we detect and prepare for extreme events in Baw Baw. Ultimately, when used by the emergency services in conjunction with other intelligence sources, it will help to enhance public safety, contribute to quicker responses and provide valuable timely information."
The BBIN is a project of Baw Baw Shire Council in conjunction with local emergency services and with support from Emergency Management Victoria and Attentis.
