Published: Aug 04, 2025

Greater safety for Australians with emergency mobile app transformation

NCS has partnered with a state emergency services organisation to rebuild an alert app. Working behind the scenes, our team have helped reimagine – and deliver – a better app. This app which is hosted in the AWS cloud, uses a seamless multi-hazard alert system to keep Australians safe.

The alert app, initially designed to provide bushfire alerts, was unable to handle the evolving needs of other hazards. Limitations of the app meant that some segments of the community were being left vulnerable to other emerging threats, beyond bushfires, signifying that the app was no longer fit-for-purpose.

The rugged beauty of the terrain where this app is used comes with its own unique challenges. While bushfires have long been a primary concern, local communities are facing an expanding range of natural hazards from severe storms to floods and heatwaves.

The emergency services organisation entrusted NCS with stepping up to support to rebuild this statewide app with accessibility and community safety in mind. The impact has been transformative.
 

The existing alert app had been designed primarily to provide bushfire alerts but was not equipped to handle an expanding range of natural hazards facing communities. The existing app could only inform residents about bushfires, meaning they remained vulnerable when it came to other natural hazards, such as severe storms, floods and heatwaves.

The app had further limitations from an accessibility and inclusivity perspective, with concerns that people who were blind or had low vision may not be able to access critical information. A lack of cross-border notifications meant that people were missing vital alerts. It was also impossible to track emergencies affecting loved ones in different locations effectively and in a seamless, easy way.
 

NCS partnered with the organisation to rebuild the app, from the ground up, in just six months. A cross-functional team of technology professionals successfully delivered a comprehensive multi-hazard warning platform, on schedule and within budget.

The rebuilt app also brings together timely and insightful data. This includes updates from multiple emergency services agencies that service country, metropolitan and state regions respectively as part of a seamless multi-hazard alert system.

The new app’s development has been informed by insights from diverse community groups and members – including perspectives from people with visual disabilities.

It is enriched by several new accessibility features. For example, the app detects if the user has accessibility voiceover enabled and, if so, will automatically open the list view instead of the map view. This screen is fully screen readable and users can choose to filter incidents and warnings in a variety of ways, including proximity to them, distance from any watch zones they have set up or by severity. All colours throughout the app have been chosen to provide high contrast that allow colour blind or low vision users to be able to read all the information provided.

A native fire danger rating screen has been built so users can see quickly and easily the current rating in their area, including whether total fire bans are in place, and receive relevant automatic alerts in their watch zones.

With the ability to monitor, track and receive alerts on bushfires, floods, hazardous materials, heatwaves, severe weather, floods, prescribed burns and fallen trees through the rebuilt app, the team have empowered local residents who sign up. They can be assured they’ll be well-informed and prepared – with more relevant and accessible updates in times of a greater variety of emergencies and dangers, 24-7 and all year round.

Key features of the rebuilt alert app include: 

Enhanced navigation and accessibility

• Redesigned interface for quick information access 
• Screen reading for every action 
• High-contrast list views as map alternatives 
• Dynamic text sizing support 

Comprehensive emergency coverage

• Multi-hazard warnings including heatwaves, floods and severe weather 
• Tree down incidents, sandbag locations and recovery centre information 
• Five-cross border bushfire feeds within 200km of the state 
• Offline access to critical emergency contacts 
• Visibility for prescribed burns / controlled burns (“burn offs”) with option to toggle on/off 

Smart customer experience 

• Customisable watch zones improved for specific area monitoring 
• Fine-grained notification controls 
• Quick incident previews with contextual mapping 
• Improved notifications with watch zone identification and deep linking
   

More Value. Better Quality. Different. 

The overwhelmingly positive response of Australians and visitors who have downloaded and used the app reflects its success and value for the community, as well as its overall user-friendliness and accessibility.

The user experience it offers, as well as its accessibility, are both crucial since it is relied on during emergencies.

The free app is among the top 100 News apps at the time of publishing, and has sent more than 140 million notifications for more than 17,000 bushfire incidents since launching a few years ago. App customer ratings have increased too – with the app getting favourable ratings in both the App Store and Google Play.

This app has also been praised by not-for-profit organisations and the government, with its accessibility features commended, and parliamentary recognition highlighting the platform’s crucial role in community safety.