Co-Creating Flash Flood Resilience: Translating Citizen and Responder Knowledge into Immersive VR/AR Training

Flash floods are considered to be among the most hazardous natural events globally, with rapidly evolving conditions (within six hours from their onset) leaving insufficient time for effective emergency response. Current training methods use static, expert-led simulations that fail to capture the experience acquired by individuals who have lived through or responded to real flash floods. The disconnect between scientific models and real-life experiences results in suboptimal preparedness for both emergency responders and at-risk communities. We present a transdisciplinary approach to flood preparedness training that places the knowledge of citizens alongside emergency responders at the centre of immersive technology development. We are building a Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) tool that turns real-world experiences into useful training scenarios by engaging flood survivors and emergency response professionals in a structured way. Our participatory methodology systematically captures and integrates the often-overlooked expertise of affected communities, identifying critical environmental precursors (debris movement patterns, acoustic signatures, water velocity changes), psychological responses, and decision-making challenges that emerge only from direct flood experience. This knowledge is combined with high-resolution geospatial data and hydrological modelling to create training environments that accurately reflect both the environmental and human aspects of flash flood emergencies. The platform architecture integrates (1) high-resolution digital elevation models with validated flood modelling data; (2) hydrological sensor measurements and UAV-derived terrain imagery; (3) Unity 3D immersive environments simulating dynamic water flow, debris transport, and temporal flood progression; and (4) adaptive scenario generation responding to user decisions under time pressure. Unlike conventional static simulations, our system replicates the cognitive and sensory demands of actual flash flood emergencies. Our evaluation framework embodies the same participatory ethos, involving emergency responders and community participants directly in assessing training effectiveness through validated metrics: situational awareness, evacuation decision timing, hazard recognition accuracy, and psychological readiness. Critically, validation examines whether the co-created knowledge of flood survivors and emergency responders leads to better preparedness and response in the real world. The iterative development process keeps both citizen and emergency responder groups continuously engaged, making sure that the tool stays useful as their needs and insights change. This multidisciplinary combination of real-world experience, scientific data, and immersive technology illustrates how innovative concepts can transform anecdotal evidence into structured, transferable training materials for citizens and emergency responders. This research enhances data-driven disaster risk reduction via human-centred immersive technology, applicable to various climate-related hazards. By combining real-life flood data with high-resolution geospatial data, we create a framework for effective emergency preparedness training that can be adapted to intensifying climate extremes.