These include the:
• development of methods of warning people about coming floods
• preparation of flood plans
• collection and collation of flood intelligence
• education of residents and business people about the flood threat they face and how they might manage it
• operational management of flooding.

Chas Keys was the Deputy Director General of the New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSW SES) for seven years from 1997 to 2004. In that time he organised, amongst other duties, the SES's flood programme which involved:
• coordinating the development of the NSW State Flood Plan and local flood plans
• overseeing initiatives in relation to flood warning, flood education and flood exercises
• forging linkages with the Bureau of Meteorology, the Floodplain Management Authorities of NSW, local councils, floodplain management consultants, the NSW Dam Safety Committee and the insurance industry
• coordinating flood-related research on themes such as the vulnerability of caravan parks to flooding and people's understanding of the flood threat
• leading in the production of national best practice guides on Flood Warning and Flood Preparedness.

Recently he has written a book (In Times of Crisis: the Story of the State Emergency Service in New South Wales) to commemorate the 50 years of the SES's activities in the state. Among other responsibilities the SES is the legislated combat agency for flooding in NSW, preparing for and coordinating community and agency responses to floods.

He is also active in consultancy, presenting university lectures on flood management, writing on flood and floodplain management and assessing the effectiveness of existing flood warning arrangements.
 
Contact
Dr Chas Keys Tel +61 (0)7 5446 6474 or +61 (0)427 940000
Chas Keys Flood Consulting
PO Box 599, YANDINA, Queensland 4561, Australia
Click here to email Chas Keys Flood Consulting