Get ready for disasters
Each year, communities across New South Wales experience a range of emergencies including bushfires, home fires, floods, storms, heatwaves and power outages. These events can occur with little or no warning.
Our emergency service organisations do an incredible job of keeping us safe, but they can only do so much.
The information provided on this page is a starting point to help you prepare for an emergency event. Being prepared helps you cope and make better decisions when an emergency affects you.
Being aware and prepared is everyone’s responsibility.
Australian Warning System
The Australian Warning System is a new national approach to information and Calls to Actions for hazards like bushfire, flood, storm, cyclone, extreme heat and severe weather.
A warning provides point-in-time information about a hazard that is impacting or is expected to impact communities. It describes the impact and expected consequences for communities and includes advice on what people should do.
What are the warning levels?
There are three warning levels:
Advice (Yellow): An incident has started. There is no immediate danger. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.
Watch and Act (Orange): There is a heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family.
Emergency Warning (Red): An emergency warning is the highest level of warning. You may be in danger and need to take action immediately. Any delay now puts your life at risk.
Calls to action:
Each warning level has a set of action statements to give the community clearer advice about what to do. Calls to Action can be used flexibly across all three warning levels depending on the hazard.
|
Advice
Prepare now
Stay informed
Monitor conditions
Stay informed/threat is reduced
Avoid the area
Return with caution
Avoid smoke
|
Watch and Act
Prepare to leave/evacuate
Leave/evacuate now (if you are not prepared)
Prepare to take shelter
Move/stay indoors
Stay near shelter
Walk two or more streets back
Monitor conditions as they are changing
Be aware of ember attacks
Move to higher ground (away from creeks/rivers/coast)
Limit time outside (cyclone, heat asthma)
Avoid the area
Stay away from damaged buildings and other hazards
Prepare for isolation
Protect yourself against the impacts of extreme heat
Do not enter flood water
Not safe to return
Prepare your property (cyclone/storm)
|
Emergency warning
Leave/evacuate (immediately, by am/pm/hazard timing)
Seek/take shelter now
Shelter indoors now
Too late/dangerous to leave
|
Get Ready for natural disasters
Everyday actions make a difference. Together, we can prepare our community for natural disasters such as storms, fires and floods.
Get Ready - Bushfires
It is important to sit down with everyone who lives at your place to make a Bushfire Survival Plan. That way, if a bushfire starts, everyone will know what to do and when to do it.
The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has an online tool at www.myfireplan.com.au to complete your Bushfire Survival Plan.
Get Ready – Flood, storm and tsunami
If you live in an area prone to flooding it is important to prepare your family and property now before floods arrive. The SES has an online tool to complete your Home Emergency Plan.
Get Ready – Business
During an emergency, your main aim as a business owner is to ensure your business continues operating in a safe manner. By carefully researching and planning before an emergency happens you will be able to act quickly and effectively.
The Australian Government publishes information on how to prepare an Emergency Management Plan for Business.
Get Ready – Animals
Animals rely on us to keep them safe. Emergencies can occur suddenly, and planning for your pets and animals keeps everyone safe.
Making an Animal Emergency Plan is easy. For more details head to the SES Get Ready – Animals page.