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Emergency Contacts — Quick List

• Triple Zero (000) — life-threatening emergencies
• 106 — TTY emergency (text)
• SES — 132 500 (storm & flood assistance)
• Lifeline — 13 11 14 (crisis support)
• Poisons Information — 13 11 26
• Crime Stoppers — 1800 333 000

Prevention — reduce risk before the sirens sound

Why prevention matters: prevention reduces the number of times you need to evacuate and makes departures safer when you do. A house with clear gutters and ember screens is less likely to ignite from embers. Streets without overhanging limbs are safer in wind. Farms with fuel breaks and maintained pumps give firefighters more options and time.

Know your risk profile. Map the fuels and terrain around you. Long grass and stubble burn quickly with high flame height; forest edges can throw embers kilometres ahead; gullies funnel wind and trap smoke. For storms, look at aged roofing, trees over lines, blocked drains, and low-lying roads with flood history. If you manage a facility—school, caravan park, aged care—list populations who will need supervised or assisted movement.

Controls & standards (plain English)

Standards and good practice make prevention practical. AS 3745 (Planning for emergencies in facilities) calls for wardens, evacuation diagrams, and regular exercises. AS 1851 sets maintenance for fire protection systems: extinguishers, alarms, hydrants. Bushfire building guides recommend ember-resistant construction: metal flyscreens, sealed gaps, leaf guards, non-combustible decks, and covered vents. For storms, secure loose items, trim hazardous limbs, and maintain gutters and downpipes so water flows away from structures.

Community-level prevention

Prevention scales with cooperation. Rural roads cut through paddocks can become flammable corridors if grass and weeds creep in. A joint working bee to slash shoulders, clear culverts, and remove deadwood can lower risk dramatically. Traders on a main street can fit shatter-resistant film to shopfronts and agree on closing plans for high fire danger days. Sporting clubs can store signage and cones for pop-up traffic control and provide their oval as a neighbourhood assembly area if advised by authorities.

Duties of care

Under WHS/OHS law, owners and employers must take reasonable steps to protect people. That includes developing an evacuation plan, training staff, providing equipment like extinguishers and first-aid kits, and keeping access clear for emergency vehicles. Councils manage trees, signage, and roads; event organisers manage crowd safety and traffic; and community leaders share clear, verified information. Think of prevention as the foundation for your multi-agency evacuation plan.

Preparedness — make the plan, train the plan

Preparedness converts concern into action. It clarifies who does what, when to move, and how to communicate under stress. The best plans are short, practical, and printed. Keep digital copies too, but assume power and coverage might fail.

Write a simple, shareable plan

• Triggers: Define plain-English “If-Then” rules. If a Watch and Act is issued within 10 km, then we begin packing and contact neighbours. If a Emergency Warning is issued for our locality or a key road closes, then we leave by Route A, or Route B if A is unsafe.
• Routes & options: Mark two outbound directions with distances and hazards (bridges, forested ridgelines, low crossings). Include a shelter-in-place fallback if leaving is unsafe.
• Assembly points: Choose locations like showgrounds, large sealed car parks, or sports ovals with space, shade, toilets, and multiple entry points. Note capacity and who manages them.
• Transport: List everyone who needs assistance—children, older adults, people with disability—and who will help them. Identify buses, community vans, or neighbour buddy pairs.
• Pets & livestock: Prepare leads, carriers, tags, and feed. For stock, identify safe paddocks or truck options and record PIC numbers.
• Information sources: Save official websites, local ABC radio frequencies, and agency social accounts. Nominate one family or group chat for updates and use voice messages for clarity.

Training & drills (household, school, business)

Practise small and often. Do a 15-minute walk-through each quarter: who calls whom; where the keys, medications, and torches are; how to shut off gas and power safely; and how to fit P2 masks on children. Once a year, run a timed evacuation: start with a warning scenario, pack the car, secure pets, and drive the safer route, noting hazards and travel time. Schools and workplaces should run at least one warden exercise annually, including radio checks and a simulated roadblock to force a detour.

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Response — first actions and safe movement

Response is about protecting life. It relies on early decisions and calm execution. Avoid last-minute departures on smoky roads when visibility is poor and embers or floodwater are already present. If you’re not able to actively defend a well-prepared property, leave early on high-risk days according to your triggers.

Immediate steps (everyone)

• Monitor official channels: Bureau of Meteorology warnings, your state’s emergency app, and local ABC radio.
• Dress for heat, ash, and embers: long sleeves, cotton pants, sturdy shoes, hat, eye protection, and P2 mask.
• Choose the safest route based on wind and fire/flood direction; avoid forested ridgelines and low dips that flood.
• Never drive through floodwater. If trapped by fast-moving fire, park in a cleared area, face away from flames, windows up, and cover yourself in a wool blanket while staying low.
• If conditions deteriorate suddenly, move to your shelter-in-place fallback (solid building or cleared area) and call 000 if life-threatening.

LACES & triage basics (responders & leaders)

LACES—Lookouts, Awareness, Comms, Escape routes, Safety zones—and simple triage principles save lives. Designate a lookout who does not get task-fixated. Use agreed radio channels and confirm repeat-backs to prevent errors. Identify two escape routes and mark safety zones such as ovals or large car parks. For triage, sort casualties by urgency and request extra resources early; assign someone to patient tracking and hospital liaison.

Traffic management and information

Police and traffic marshals reduce risk by spacing vehicles, preventing U-turns into danger, and keeping intersections clear for emergency vehicles. Use cones, reflective paddles, and portable signs. Provide short, consistent messages: route names, direction of travel, nearest safe township, and timing of the next update. Avoid jargon and keep messages under 20 seconds to reduce radio congestion.

Recovery — look after people, restore, then improve

Recovery begins during response when relief centres open and welfare checks start. The goals are simple: stabilise health and housing, clean up safely, support businesses, and turn lessons into improvements. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint; pace yourself and ask for help early.

Clean-up and safety

• Check structural safety before entry. Watch for ash pits, unstable trees, sharp debris, and downed lines.
• Use PPE: P2/N95 respirators, gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection. Wet down ash; avoid dry sweeping.
• Photograph damage and make a written list. Contact your insurer promptly and keep receipts for all emergency purchases.
• For floods, treat water as contaminated. Discard porous items that cannot be sanitised. Dry structures quickly to prevent mould.

Wellbeing & community support

Stress, grief, and fatigue are normal after disaster. Talk with neighbours. Check on older adults, carers, and people living alone. Schools and employers can offer flexible return plans, quiet spaces, and short shifts. Use support lines like Lifeline and health services; early conversations prevent bigger problems later.

Debriefs & after-action reviews

Hold a short “hot” debrief within 24–48 hours to capture immediate observations, then a formal review within 30 days. Document what worked, what failed, and who owns each fix. Share summaries publicly so the whole community learns, not just the officials. Update your multi-agency evacuation plan accordingly and schedule the next exercise before memories fade.

How It Works — the science and systems behind your plan

Hazards cluster in time and space. Fire spread follows fuel, slope, and wind; storms concentrate damage in corridors; flash floods peak quickly then recede. Evacuation risk spikes when everyone leaves late onto the same road network. Your plan reduces risk by moving earlier, spreading departures over time and space, and coordinating messages so people don’t hesitate or double-back.

• Trigger points convert forecasts into actions. “If Watch and Act within 10 km, then depart via Route A.” Triggers reduce debate and speed up decisions.
• Redundancy—two routes, two ways to get warnings, two places to meet—makes plans robust to single failures.
• Micro-timing matters. A 30-minute head start can halve exposure by keeping you ahead of road closures, smoke columns, or a rising creek.
• Human factors: short checklists, clear roles, and repetition beat thick manuals. Stress shrinks working memory; practise fills the gap.

Roles & Coordination — plain-English ICS

Australia’s incident management borrows from the Incident Command System (ICS). You don’t need a whiteboard forest to use it—just the habit of naming roles and sticking to them. In community plans, use light-touch ICS so people know who is doing what and how information flows.

• Incident Controller (IC): sets objectives, approves public messages, and coordinates agency actions.
• Operations: manages field tasks—evac routes, traffic points, door-knocks, welfare checks.
• Planning: gathers intel, tracks triggers, updates maps, and anticipates road closures or weather changes.
• Logistics: fuels vehicles, sources buses, sets up lighting and toilets, and runs staging areas.
• Public Information: issues simple, consistent updates by radio, social, and noticeboards.

Police, Fire, Medical, SES — who leads what?

• Police: traffic management points, evacuations under direction, security of impacted areas.
• Fire: fireground intelligence, safe route advice, community warnings, and assessment of shelters.
• Ambulance/Medical: triage, patient transport, hospital liaison, and health advice at relief centres.
• SES: storm and flood operations, sandbagging, temporary repairs, chainsaw teams, and flood rescues.
• Local government & relief agencies: open relief centres, manage waste and potable water, support welfare and pets.

Interoperability hinges on pre-agreed channels, common maps, and short briefings. Use plain English, avoid agency jargon, and repeat key details. When posts change hands, do a structured handover: situation, tasks, risks, comms, and next decisions. One good handover prevents three mistakes.

Equipment & Tools — household, business, responder

Good gear widens your options and shortens delays. Kit fails when it’s unfamiliar, flat, or unlabeled, so keep it simple, visible, and ready. Label bags and boxes, standardise batteries, and practise using items in daylight so they’re second nature at night.

Household & vehicle

• P2/N95 masks, eye protection, leather gloves, long sleeves, hat, and sturdy shoes.
• Grab-and-go bag with medications, copies of IDs, torch, radio, phone chargers, power bank, snacks, and water.
• 5–10 L of drinking water per person per day in heat; electrolyte sachets for physically demanding days.
• Map book in the glovebox; car phone mount; wool blanket for radiant heat protection.
• ABE extinguisher and fire blanket; maintained garden hoses; simple wet-down procedure if advised.

Business & facility

• Warden vests, loudhailers, handheld radios with spare batteries, and laminated channel plans.
• Evacuation chairs for multi-storey buildings; photoluminescent signage; portable lighting for corridors.
• Generator with outdoor-only operation and CO alarm; clearly written refuelling procedure; extension leads rated for outdoor use.
• Traffic kit: cones, signs, reflective paddles, and battery beacons for intersections.
• Medical: first-aid kits, AED checks logged, eyewash stations, and cool packs for heat stress.

Responder & community

• UHF/VHF radios, spare batteries, charger banks, and paper comms plans for contingencies.
• Staging kit: tarps, trestles, whiteboards, markers, cable ties, ID lanyards, and registration forms.
• Chainsaw kits with PPE and fuel; signage for roadblocks; portable lighting; spill kits.
• Relief centre kit: bottled water, snacks, hygiene supplies, pet area fencing, and child-safe spaces.

Maintenance cycles: test generators monthly; rotate batteries quarterly; service extinguishers per AS 1851; audit first-aid kits each season; and log radio checks weekly in high-risk periods. Put reminders in a shared calendar so the task survives staff changes.

Field Scenarios — what worked, what to fix

1) Grassfire with storm change on a public holiday

What happened: A northerly drove a grassfire toward a town just as visitors queued at a servo. A cool change hit early, swinging winds and pushing smoke across the highway. Power failed and EFTPOS went down.

What worked: Police placed marshals at the roundabout, preventing gridlock and keeping a clear lane for emergency vehicles. CFA provided route advice by local ABC radio. SES cleared a fallen limb quickly, keeping the detour open. Many locals had pre-packed; early departures reduced congestion.

Fix next time: The service station will adopt a manual traffic plan for high fire danger days. The shire will pre-sign the alternate route and add cones to a roadside cache. The community warden kit will include a battery megaphone and printed cue cards.

2) Flash flooding on school pickup

What happened: A storm cell dumped 60 mm in an hour. Two low crossings flooded as parents arrived. Visibility dropped and some drivers attempted short cuts.

What worked: The school activated its late-pickup plan, kept students indoors, and used the hall as a supervised waiting area. The bus operator diverted along the high route. SES texted a road closure map. Parents followed the planned detour and used the second gate to spread traffic.

Fix next time: Pre-position flood signs and cones near crossings, with a volunteer roster for wet-weather days. Practise the alternate gate procedure once a term and update the family handbook with photos.

3) Bushfire smoke and 24-hour power outage

What happened: Crews contained a bushfire, but smoke drifted through the valley. Power was out overnight in hot conditions, stressing fridges and medical devices.

What worked: The relief centre opened with a cooled room. Health workers conducted welfare checks on CPAP and oxygen users. Community radio ran hourly updates. Households used generators outdoors only and shared extension leads to run fridges in shifts.

Fix next time: Stock more P2 masks; publish clear generator safety tips with CO warnings; create a pet area with signage and bowls; and encourage battery-powered fans for vulnerable residents.

4) Tourist caravan park under ember attack

What happened: A nearby scrub fire spotted embers into a coastal caravan park on a windy afternoon. Visitors were unfamiliar with local roads and warning terminology.

What worked: Park staff switched to a pre-scripted PA announcement and handed out simple maps with two exit options. Wardens in hi-vis directed vans in waves to avoid jack-knifing at the gate. Police managed the intersection; fire crews patrolled for spotfires and provided route advice.

Fix next time: Translate the one-page map into the top two tourist languages, add QR codes linking to local warnings, and store collapsible traffic paddles with reflective sleeves at each amenities block.

Print-Friendly Checklists

Household — 10-minute departure

• Meds and prescriptions, IDs, wallet, keys, phone, and chargers.
• Water, snacks, P2 masks, eye protection, torch, radio, power bank.
• Clothes, sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, wool blanket.
• Pets: leads, carriers, food, bowls, tags, and vaccination records.
• Shut gas and non-essential power if advised; lock doors and windows; leave a note with destination and route.
• Tell a friend your plan and check in on arrival.

Small business — wardens and records

• Warden vests, megaphone, handheld radios charged and labelled.
• Staff and visitor roll; USB/cloud backups; cash handling secured.
• Evacuation chair ready; signage for assembly area and alternate gate.
• Generator checklist with CO alarm test; fuel stored safely.
• Traffic kit staged at reception: cones, signs, reflective paddles.

Responder — light but complete

• Helmet, eye/hand protection, P2 masks, hydration plan, electrolytes.
• Maps, markers, whiteboard, spare batteries, headlamps.
• Staging forms, registration sheets, ID lanyards, tape, cable ties.
• Cones and signs; barrier tape; first-aid kit; AED access route.
• Comms plan: channels, call signs, backup method if repeaters fail.

Accessibility & Inclusion — everyone gets the message, everyone gets out

Design for the whole community. Plans that assume everyone can self-evacuate quickly will fail the very people who need help most. Inclusion is not an add-on; it’s a core design principle that improves outcomes for everyone.

• Low literacy: use icons, plain English, short sentences, and large fonts. Use colour-coded cards that match signs at exits and assembly areas.
• Hearing or vision: combine text, vibration alerts, and visual beacons; use high-contrast signage; provide tactile markers on routes.
• Mobility: pre-identify help teams; test ramps and evac chairs; reserve parking near exits; avoid relying on lifts during power loss.
• Languages: translate one-page plans into the top languages locally; add QR codes that link to official warnings in those languages.
• Children: rehearse with role-play; pack comfort items; agree a family code word to grab attention in noise.
• Pets: store carriers and leads by the door; list pet-friendly shelters or kennels; carry spare tags and a photo of each pet.

Assign an Inclusion Lead for community events and high-risk facilities. Their job is to check the plan against real people: “Who is missing from this picture?” Have them walk the site with a mobility frame, a pram, a large dog carrier—whatever is relevant—and fix snags before the season turns.

FAQs

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1) When should we leave in a bushfire?

On Severe, Extreme, or Catastrophic days, leave early if you’re not prepared to actively defend a well-prepared home. Use your triggers, not your gut. If you wait for smoke or sirens, you’re likely too late, and roads may already be blocked or hazardous.

Build the habit of pre-packing and topping up fuel the night before. If forecasts point to a difficult day, visit friends in a safer town early and turn a stressful choice into a routine outing.

2) What if both routes are blocked?

Use your shelter-in-place fallback: a solid building or a large cleared area like an oval or car park. Close doors and windows, block gaps, stay low, and wait for conditions to pass. In a vehicle during fire, park in a cleared area, face away from flames, and shelter under a wool blanket.

Call 000 only for life-threatening situations. Keep radios on for official updates about when it’s safe to move again. Patience is part of safety when hazards are peaking.

3) How much water do we need in heat and smoke?

Plan for 5–10 L per person per day in hot conditions, more if you’re working outside or caring for children. Include electrolytes and store water where it won’t heat in direct sun. Remember pets: pack bowls and extra bottles.

Hydration is a performance issue as much as a comfort one. Dehydration makes decisions slower and driving more dangerous. Schedule breaks on long departures and use shaded rest points if safe.

4) Can generators run indoors or in a garage?

No. Only run generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas, away from doors and windows. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm and set a simple refuelling procedure: cool engine, no smoking, and a dry area with a fire extinguisher nearby.

Share power with neighbours when safe. A small generator can keep a handful of fridges cycling if you schedule loads and use heavy-duty leads with RCD protection.

5) Who’s in charge during a multi-agency incident?

Agencies coordinate under ICS. An Incident Controller sets strategy; Operations leads field tasks; Planning thinks ahead; Logistics provides resources; and Public Information keeps messages aligned. Police typically manage evacuations and road control; fire agencies advise on routes and community warnings; SES handles storms and floods; ambulance leads patient care.

For communities, nominate a local coordinator to interface with agencies and keep your messaging consistent with official updates. Avoid parallel “community alerts” that confuse people at the worst time.

6) How do we help neighbours without getting in the way?

Help early or help later, but avoid clogging roads at the peak. In preparedness, build a buddy system, share transport lists, and check on people who need extra time to move. In recovery, join clean-ups, deliver supplies, and take on simple tasks so specialists can focus on critical work.

During response, obey traffic marshals and only enter affected areas if requested by authorities. Good intentions can turn into hazards when conditions are changing rapidly.

7) What makes warnings reliable?

Official apps, Bureau of Meteorology warnings, agency websites, and local ABC radio form the backbone. Cross-check across two sources to avoid acting on rumours. Keep a battery radio and note the exact names of your localities so you’re not confused by similar suburb or district names.

On social media, share verified links rather than screenshots. Screenshots go stale; links refresh with updates and help curb misinformation.

8) How should we pack the car for a long evacuation?

Pack heavy items low and forward; keep grab-items like medications, chargers, and water within arm’s reach. Store pet carriers accessible. Use a paper map in case mapping apps fail and nominate fuel and rest stops outside high-risk zones.

Take photos of valuables and serial numbers. If instructed to leave quickly, prioritise people, pets, documents, and essentials over possessions that can be replaced.

9) How do we brief volunteers and wardens quickly?

Use a one-page sheet with today’s triggers, routes, comms channels, and assembly points. Issue vests, radios, and a role card. Keep tasking verbal but confirm with a repeat-back. Rotate people before fatigue sets in and set an alarm for water and meal breaks.

Write down decisions. A few lines in a notebook will save time during handover and become evidence for improving the plan later.

10) How do we include children, older adults, and people with disability?

Ask early, plan together, and rehearse. Provide visual schedules and simple role-play for children. For older adults and people with disability, agree who assists with packing, mobility, medication management, and transport. Trial equipment like evac chairs and ramps ahead of time.

Include carers in communications and ensure privacy is respected. A short, well-kept list of needs and contacts can shave minutes off when they matter most.

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Links & Hotlines — official Australian sources

• Bureau of Meteorology — warnings, forecasts, radar, and fire weather.
• ABC Emergency — national emergency information and local radio.
• VicEmergency — Victorian warnings and advice.
• NSW Rural Fire Service — fire danger ratings, incidents, and advice.
• QFES (Queensland) — emergency updates and resources.
• DFES (Western Australia) — warnings and preparation guides.
• CFS (South Australia) — incidents, ratings, and community info.
• TasALERT / TFS (Tasmania) — Tasmanian emergency alerts.
• ACT Emergency Services Agency — alerts and preparedness resources.
• NT Emergency Services — advisories and contacts.
• Australian Government Health — national and state health resources.
• Insurance Council of Australia — event info and claims guidance.

Credits & Review Notes

Author: Community safety practitioner with Australian fire, storm, flood, and evacuation planning experience.

Peer review: Operations officer (fire), SES unit controller, senior paramedic. Focus: practical PPRR steps for regional and peri-urban communities.

Authoring dates: Drafted July–August 2025; last updated 16 August 2025 AEST.

Next review due: Before 1 November 2025 (ahead of peak fire season in several states).