Preparing for an emergency
Key points
- A prepared community is a safer community. Here are some steps you can follow to help you prepare.
- Council works with emergency service organisations to develop programs that increase the readiness and preparedness of our communities to manage and recover from emergencies. We also support community-led emergency planning initiatives and ones that help build community resilience. View our Municipal Emergency Management Plan here
- For information on preparing for fires, visit the Preparing for the fire season page
Being prepared is vital
Emergencies can happen at any time and come in many forms, impacting your life in ways you don’t expect.
You may not feel like you have time to get prepared for emergencies, but taking action now will save you and your family a lot of stress and help you recover after an emergency.
Preparing for an emergency is everyone's responsibility.
Steps to follow to help you prepare
You can be more prepared for an emergency by following these steps:
Write an emergency plan
Practice it regularly.
Download our emergency plan template
Write a bushfire plan
If you’re in a bushfire prone area, write a bushfire plan.
Info: CFA Fire Ready Kit, CFA Bushfire Survival Planning template
Download the VicEmergency app
Download the VicEmergency app to your phone or other devices – the app provides emergency information and warnings on current incidents.
Arrange a meeting place
Have an agreed meeting place where you will gather with other members of your household if you are separated.
Make plans for pets and livestock
If you have animals, make sure they are part of your emergency plan and consider where you’ll relocate them.
Get your insurance policies sorted
Make sure your insurance cover is up to date, and that you understand what you are covered for.
Info: Insure it. It's worth it
Make copies of important documents
Create copies of important documents such as passports, insurance papers and medical scripts, and/or save them onto a portable drive or USB stick.
Pack an emergency kit
Keep it somewhere that’s easy to access.
Download our emergency kit checklist
Info: Red Cross
Save contact, emergency and hotline numbers into your phone
Prepare a list of emergency contacts and sources of information. Save important contact numbers into your phone, such as family members, friends and the VicEmergency hotline (1800 226 226).
Download our emergency contacts and information sources list
Stay in touch with your neighbours
Talk to your neighbours about your emergency plans and see if there are ways you can assist each other.
Get involved in emergency planning in your local community
Look for local volunteering opportunities or other community groups you can get involved in. Build connections within your community.
Helping to build community resilience
We support a range of community projects that help build community resilience.
Community led emergency planning
You might decide to run your own local emergency preparedness program through a nearby school, sporting club, interest group or religious group. This will enable you to practice what you and your community will do in emergency situations.
You might cover:
- what to do when the power goes out
- what to do when the water is off
- what goes in an emergency kit, and how to use it
- what emergency messages mean
- how to communicate with children in an emergency
- the role of social media in an emergency.
Local community-led emergency planning groups
Emerald and Cockatoo Emergency Support Team
The Emerald and Cockatoo Emergency Support Team are a volunteer group, trained and equipped to support our local community to recover from major local emergencies.. More information: Emerald Emergency Support Team website or email: cockatooest@outlook.com
Upper Beaconsfield Bushfire and Biodiversity Tool
A community led values-based bushfire risk mitigation intiative. This community led Safer Together funded intaitive was supported by local government, land and fire agencies, academics, environment and fire experts. Supporting residents to identify actions that can be taken to protect what they value most from the risk of bushfire. The story map supports residents to make informed decisions. More information please see the Upper Beaconsfield Bushfire and Biodiversity Tool Website
More resources and info
Online resources
- CFA – Information on preparing for fire.
- SES – Information on preparing for floods and storms.
- Red Cross – information on preparing you and your family for all types of emergencies.
- Deaf Emergency Information – brings important emergency information together in one place, in Auslan and written English.
- Are You Prepared For an Emergency?
- VicEmergency: Prepare and Get Ready
- Council’s ‘Prepare for an emergency’ booklet for print
- Council’s Emergency kit checklist
Resources in other languages
Watch our video series on emergency planning
· Our video series on emergency planning has videos on:
- emergencies in Cardinia Shire
- helping others plan for emergencies
- preparing yourself and your family for emergencies
- preparing your property for emergencies
- emergency planning in the community.