COFFS Harbour is at the forefront of a trial to help save lives in the build up to the East Coast Low season.

Three early flood warning devices, called a DipStiks, were installed across Coffs Harbour at the start of the year.

The Australian-made technology continuously measures groundwater in flood hot spots and automatically alerts NSW SES and Coffs Harbour City Council when floodwater rises.

Local SES unit controller Bill Roffey said the technology would help free up emergency resources.

"It's about the community, it's not about us," he said.

"It's helping these people right here and if it's helping here, it's taking pressure off us.

"Early warning is important in helping us work with communities to respond and manage the effects of floods.

"In the past 12 months, our volunteers have responded to 408 flood and storm jobs."

Mr Roffey said flood risk was previously calculated on a number of factors, so a certain degree of fluctuation was needed.

He said the DipStiks provided far more accurate detail, including water flow speed and depth.

Mr Roffey explained Coffs Harbour was prone to flooding, particularly flash flooding, because of its hilly terrain and the close proximity of the Great Dividing Range to the ocean, which created a bowl like effect which trapped storms.