Preparing your emergency plan

Preparing your emergency plan

Are you prepared for an emergency?

Do you have a household emergency plan (PDF, 414 KB)?

Plan ahead so that during an emergency you know:

• what to do
• where to go
• how to keep in touch with your family and friends
• how to contact emergency services.

You should prepare the plan with everyone in your household. Make sure they all understand the risks and how to stay safe in an emergency.

Learn how to prepare your emergency plan in 4 steps.

Your emergency plan in 4 steps

Step 1—Get details of disaster plans and natural hazards in your community

Find out which natural disasters are a threat in your area and if there are local disaster management plans available:

• check with your local council or library
• ask your neighbours and friends
• find out about local warning systems, evacuation processes and evacuation routes.

Emergencies don't only happen at home. Plan for other places you and your family might be:

• get details of emergency and evacuation plans for your workplace, school, day-care centre, etc
• make sure these places have your contact details in case of an emergency.

Collect and record details of local support agencies that might be able to help:

• in case you need to evacuate
• if you or people living with you have special needs.

Pay close attention to weather warnings issued by the Bureau of Meteorology:

• Do you know the difference between a 'cyclone watch' and a 'cyclone warning'?
• What do you need to do when there's a 'cyclone warning' or a 'flood warning'?

Step 2—Talk about what to do in an emergency

With the people you live with, discuss the emergencies that might affect your household:

• What would you do in the event of each emergency?
• Where might you be when an emergency occurs?
• How would you keep in touch with each other if separated in a disaster and where you would meet?
• Does everyone know the Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) and what to do?
• Does everyone know to tune into the local ABC radio station to hear updates and warnings?

You may also need to prepare for evacuation. Discuss where to go if you need to leave your home or aren't able to return home.

• Choose 2 meeting places in case of an emergency—1 near your home and another outside your neighbourhood—that everyone can easily get to
• Decide on 2 family members or friends who do not live with you—1 local and 1 interstate—to be your household emergency contacts in case you and your family become separated. Make sure everyone knows how to contact these people
• Consider and write down any medical conditions of household members. Include essential medications and dosages in your emergency kit
• Make a plan for what to do with any pets.

Step 3—Record important details on your household emergency plan

Print a household emergency plan and record:

• emergency and other important phone numbers
  • Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)—triple zero (000)
  • State Emergency Service (SES)—13 25 00
  • medical services
  • local council
  • electricity and other service providers
  • your insurance company
  • relatives and friends
  • all householder mobile phones
  • other phone numbers (e.g. work, school, childcare providers, friends, neighbours)
• details of the 2 meeting places you have chosen
• any medical conditions (including medications and dosage)
• details of your pets—description, photo, veterinarian contact details, medication, etc
• radio frequencies of your local radio stations
• phone numbers of weather services for local warnings.

Step 4. Ensure everyone in your household is prepared for emergencies

• Prepare an emergency kit and store it in a safe, accessible place
• Review and practise your emergency plan (PDF, 414 KB) regularly (3 times per year)
• Teach children how and when to call triple zero (000) in an emergency (you can also use 112 from mobile phones).

Call triple zero (000) only if you believe the emergency is life-threatening or serious.

• Make sure everyone knows where, how and when to turn off the main power, water and gas in case of evacuation.

Be prepared for possible illness or injury.

• Make sure at least 1 person in your household has a current first-aid certificate
• Include a fully stocked first-aid kit in your emergency kit.

First-aid training and equipment is available from the Queensland Ambulance Service.

Make sure your emergency plan is easy to find when you need it.

• Stick your emergency plan on the fridge or household notice board, provide copies to household members, relevant friends, family and neighbours and keep a copy in your emergency kit
• Create wallet-sized emergency cards for all household members.

Volunteer to assist others

• Consider joining a community emergency service organisation like the State Emergency Service (SES) to help your community prepare for and respond to natural disasters.