When Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) comes into a community to run a big map exercise, it is literally that.

They print a large, full-colour satellite map of the town or local government area they are working with and invite community members in to walk on it.

"The first thing they say is, 'Oh, that's a big map,'" said Shari Bent, DRA's associate director.

"But automatically, people are drawn in and they find their house.

"Once they find their house, they take a step back and they start identifying friends and family's houses, and then they start identifying places that they know."

'War gaming' disaster readiness

DRA is a veteran-led volunteer organisation that works with communities to prepare for and recover from disasters.

'What was going to burn?'

The threat of bushfire never o

See Full Page