by Christopher O'Keeffe
August 02, 2026
When someone is missing, search and rescue teams convert uncertainty into geography. Christopher O’Keeffe explains how Australian police, emergency services, volunteers, aircraft and maritime responders use last known positions, topography, lost-person behaviour, search sectors, GPS, beacons, drones and field navigation to decide where to look next—without losing sight of the person at the centre of the map.
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by Christopher O'Keeffe
August 02, 2026
Emergency services do not use one map during a disaster. They combine authoritative base data, live observations, forecasts, public warning areas, field intelligence and local knowledge into a Common Operating Picture. Christopher O’Keeffe explains how Australian agencies map bushfires, floods, cyclones and recovery—and why source, time and uncertainty matter as much as the line on the map.
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by Christopher O'Keeffe
August 01, 2026
Paper maps are not the opposite of digital mapping. They provide a physical layer of overview, independence, shared situational awareness and geographic understanding that fails differently from phones, networks, satellites and cloud platforms. Christopher O’Keeffe explains why that capability still matters to Australia in 2026.
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