Recent wet conditions and the February flooding highlight the importance of being prepared, says NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York.
Ms York's comment comes as the NSW SES launches phase two of its "Floods. The Risk Is Real" campaign for the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.
"This public safety campaign is a timely reminder of the significant flood risk in this valley," Ms York said.
"The February 2020 flood event was relatively small compared to others the region has experienced in the past. Everyone is responsible for knowing their risks and being prepared for floods."
The campaign aims to increase flood awareness in the valley and encourage residents to take at least one action to prepare for floods.
Phase one of the campaign was delivered last year and ended in more than 52,000 unique visits to the NSW SES website to access flood information.
A post-campaign survey found that more than 70 per cent of people who saw the campaign took at least one action to prepare for flooding.
This new phase will involve a direct mail out to suburbs that are impacted by a 1 in 500 chance per year flood.
The mail out will included localised information for five areas across the valley and includes a flood map and historical flood information.
The campaign will also feature local print and digital advertising, supported by an interactive flood mapping tool and a suite of resources about local flooding risks across the floodplain.
Acting Zone Commander Metropolitan, Stuart Fisher, said that augmented reality techniques used in the new video, 'The Risk is Real', created incredibly life-like scenarios which would be easy for people to relate to.
"In this video, NSW SES volunteers step through the real risks people can face from flooding in their streets and their homes in an immersive mixed reality environment," he said.
"These leading-edge visualisation techniques have been used effectively overseas to help demonstrate the dangers of floodwaters. They are an engaging way of sharing the story about flood risk in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley."
Residents and workers in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley can check their flood risk now at myfloodrisk.nsw.gov.au
The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley covers around 500 square kilometres from Bents Basin near Wallacia to the Brooklyn Bridge.
The four main local government areas within the valley are Hawkesbury, Penrith and Blacktown cities and The Hills Shire.