Be Prepared

Everyone’s disaster risk is different. Some natural disasters are largely determined by your location, whereas others can happen to anyone at any time. If you know what your personal risks are, you can be better prepared, which will help reduce the impact of a disaster on you, your family, home, property and business.

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Extreme weather can happen suddenly. Taking the time to create a plan now means everyone in your household is prepared and knows what to do if the weather turns quickly. Your plan should be a hard copy document you and members of your family can easily access. Remember to consider people around you such as neighbours, friends or the elderly and vulnerable that may require your assistance when creating your plan.

Start planning your household for emergency through the form-fillable PDF below. This can be saved to your device, printed out to put on the fridge, or sent to family to let them know what your plan is during a disaster.

Household-Emergency-Plan.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

You plan could include:

• Contact details – mobile phone numbers and email addresses of household members
• Pets – all pets details - microchip numbers and their vet's name and contact details
• Vehicles – vehicle makes and registration details
• Emergency contacts – identify emergency contacts (one local and one out of town)
• Neighbours – contact details for your neighbours
• School, kindy or daycare contact details
• Workplace details for each household member
• Utility company details (water, gas, electricity)
• Medical contact details
• Safe meeting point in the event your household is separated
• Emergency and evacuation kits
• Local council contact details
• Insurance details

For more information please click here.

When the weather turns bad quickly it’s important to have an emergency kit ready to go. This is so you can leave swiftly and safely when needed. Here are a few ideas to get your started:

• First aid kit including essential medication
• Essential toiletries
• Can opener
• Important documents
• Water for three days
• Non perishable food for three days
• USB – with important documents, contacts, emails and photos
• Torch
• Spare batteries
• Pet supplies
• Battery operated radio
• Wrench or pliers
• Tarps and ropes
• Utility knife
• Warm blankets

For more information and ideas, click here.

Emergencies and natural disasters can happen at anytime, but particularly during bushfire, storm, and flood seasons. A well-prepared home is easier to defend and reduces the risk to the community and surrounding properties. Generally, keeping your home and premises in a clean and tidy condition will help minimise impact and damage in extreme weather events or disasters.

Here are some tips to help prepare your home:

• Inspect your roof regularly for leaks and check gutters and downpipes for rust, loose fixings, blockages, or cracks.
• Clear gutters and roof of leaves, twigs, bark, and other debris.
• Cut back any trees and shrubs overhanging buildings (be careful of overhead powerlines).
• Check and fix corrosion, rotten timber, termites, and loose fittings on your home.
• Fit windows and doors with shutters or metal screens for added protection in high winds.
• Point LPG cylinder relief valves away from your house.
• Know where and how to turn off the main supply for water, power, and gas.
• Check and maintain any firefighting pumps or hoses, generators, and water systems.
• Seal gaps in external roof and cladding.
• Move flammable and/or loose items away from your home (such as woodpiles, mulch, boxes, hanging baskets and outdoor furniture).
• Check in with your neighbours.
• Know where to go for information and warnings.

For more information on how you can prepare your property for a disaster, click here. 

Managing the risk of extreme weather and bushfires is a shared responsibility. It's important to prepare your property for storm, flood and bushfire hazards.

Here are some tips to help:

• Reduce vegetation along access paths.
• Trim low hanging branches of trees.
• Mow or slash grass regularly and keep your yard tidy.
• Remove flammable debris and materials such as long dry grass, dead leaves, and branches.
• Contact your local council or energy company if you think trees in your street may pose a threat to your property or power lines.
• Secure, weigh down or put away any loose items around the house, yard, or balcony. Items such as potted plants, outdoor furniture, garbage bins, and trampolines can become dangerous missiles.
• Ensure your street number is clearly visible from the road so your property can be easily found.
• Consider any plans you need to make to ensure the safety of pets or livestock.
• Know where to go for information and warnings.

Find out more information on how you can prepare your property for a disaster Protect your home | Get Ready Queensland

Emergencies and disasters can happen without warning. Developing a plan and preparing your business for an emergency will help you act quickly and minimise the impacts of severe weather events or disasters. A plan will help guide you and your business before, during and after an emergency event.

The tips below will assist:

• Check your insurance is current and adequate.
• Maintain the property and location of your business.
• Back up and secure your data.
• Prepare an easily accessible list of emergency contacts.
• Review evacuation procedures.
• Create an emergency kit.
• Assign key roles and responsibilities to team members.
• Rehearse and revise to help plan for possible emergencies.
• Check your ABN details are up to date.
• Know where to go for information and warnings.

Find out more information on how you can prepare your business for a disaster - Protect your business from severe weather | Get Ready Queensland

Emergencies and disasters can happen without warning, and during severe weather events, your pets’ welfare can also be at risk. It’s up to you to plan ahead and make sure your pets are safe, secure and prepared.

By acting early, you can avoid unnecessary danger, stress and anxiety for both you and your pets. Make sure you have everything your pets need in case you need to leave home or services are disrupted.

Prepare a pet emergency kit with:

• A 3–5 day supply of water and canned or dry dog food.
• Travel bowls for food and water, such as fold-up bowls.
• A manual can opener if using canned food.
• Feeding instructions for each animal.
• A two-week supply of medications, if applicable.
• Medication instructions for each animal.
• One dose of flea, tick and heartworm treatment.
• All pet records stored in a waterproof wallet, including your contact information, an alternative contact person, your vet’s contact information, a copy of your pet’s current vaccination record and a medical summary.

Being prepared before an emergency happens can help you act quickly and keep your pets safe when it matters most.

Find out more information on how you can help prepare your pets for a disaster Protect your pet | Get Ready Queensland.