Extreme Weather Preparation

This summer, it’s vital that we are prepared and know how to support vulnerable community members nearby and I'm urging local residents to spend some time thinking about preparation for extreme weather events. Here are a few key tips:

1. Stay Updated: 
   1. The Bureau of Meteorology has an app for smartphones - use this guide to sign up for phone notifications and you can also check their website for current alerts
   2. Brisbane City Council has SMS and landline alerts to notify you of storms or severe weather at up to three addresses 
   3. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has a feed of all warnings across Queensland on their website.
   4. 612 AM ABC Radio Brisbane is the emergency radio station for our area and has the most up-to-date information in a crisis. You can listen via the ABC Listen app and it’s good to have a battery-powered radio in your emergency kit. 
2. Know the risks: ensure you’re across the risks in your local area if you’re not already. Familiarise yourself with the flood maps and local flooding patterns in your community. If your home doesn’t have air conditioning or proper ventilation, ensure you have a back up plan for heat waves. There’s some more information on heatwaves and preparing for them on Max's website here: www.maxchandlermather.com/heatwave-info 
3. Stock up from Sandbag Stations: Depending where you live in Moreton, the closest station could be located in Morningside - Balmoral Depot, 9 Redfern Street, or in Darra - South Depot, 38 Shamrock Road. Brisbane City Council has sandbag stations set up at locations across the city, check for other locations here: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/community-safety/disasters-and-emergencies/be-prepared/flooding-in-brisbane/sandbags#collection 
4. Prepare Your Property: Move valuables to higher ground, clear gutters, and secure outdoor items. If you’re in a flood-prone area, create a flood plan for your household and know where to go if evacuation is needed. If you live in an apartment, check out Resilient Kurilpa’s excellent and super practical Apartment Tool Kit: https://www.resilientkurilpa.com/apartment-toolkit 
5. Check out the Flood Resilient Homes Program: it offers free advice and tailored flood risk assessments, helping you to take proactive steps to reduce flood damage. Check out https://www.sustainablebrisbane.com.au/programs/floodwise-homes/ for more info.

Resources

The federal government's RecoverConnect is a great sources of information. Fact sheets about disasters are available in languages other than English. 

If you have a disability, the P-CEP Workbook is designed to help developed a tailored emergency preparedness plan tailored to your needs. 

Make a plan

When Brisbane flooded in 2022, it happened so suddenly that parents and children were separated by floodwaters. Get the whole family involved in making a plan. 

Involve your whole family — and your neighbours if you can — and you should always plan for the worst.

Consider: 

• Is my home or business likely to be affected? Consider the landscape around your home or business. Are you on a flood plain? Are you near bushland? Are there any large trees with branches overhanging your home, car or powerlines? You can check flood or fire risk maps to see at a glance.
• How can I secure my home? Pruning large overhanging branches, having tarps and guide ropes on hand and knowing how to use sandbags are all handy skills. You should also consider who might be able to secure your home if you are away or at work and can’t get back safely. 
• Where will you go if you have to evacuate? Whether it’s a family member’s or friend’s house or a central evacuation centre, make a note of where you can get to safely and quickly during an emergency. Many roads can be blocked or unsafe to drive on, especially through bushland or in low-lying flood-prone areas, so consider alternative routes.
• What arrangements can you make for pets? RSPCA has a guide on preparing your pet for an emergency and suggest making sure you include pet food and medication in your emergency kits, have at least two weeks of pet supplies at home and making sure your pets are microchipped and have collar tags with current contact details.  
• How does my plan change with different kinds of emergencies? You might need different preventative measures or evacuation plans for floods and fires. Make sure you have backup plans that take different circumstances into account.
• What do we need to take with us? Make a list of your most important things to pack when you need to leave quickly. You can’t take everything, so pack your emergency kits and a few changes of clothes in your car and see how much space is left. Think about what your most cherished valuables and mementos are. Most of your possessions can be replaced — so prioritise the ones that can’t. 
• What does my home and car insurance cover? Some insurance policies have exclusions and exceptions for natural disasters like bushfires and floods. Check your policies and assess whether it is appropriate for your home’s bushfire and flood risk. 
• Do you or your friends and family have a disability? Queenslanders with a Disability Network have put together this great emergency preparedness resource that they co-designed with people with a disability
• Do I have all my key contacts saved? Make sure you get up-to-date contact details saved in your phone for your family, friends, neighbours and health network — especially your emergency contacts. It’s good to have a written down copy of key contacts in case of blackouts or losing your phone.

The Queensland Government has a great emergency plan template on their Get Ready website — and you can download factsheets in languages other than English to help family members understand how to plan for an emergency.

Create an emergency kit

There are two different types of emergency kit. A disaster kit is intended to help you survive a few days on your own, and should include basic food items, water, and items to allow you to shelter in place. Hopefully this sort of preparation is unnecessary for most Griffith residents, but some individual circumstances might warrant this level of preparation.

A flee kit is intended to secure valuables, and provide you with comfort if you are forced to evacuate. It might include a few days clothes, chargers for your devices, medications and other health aids, as well beloved toys, and books or games that can occupy children. Children can help pack their own flee kit: write a list on a pillowcase so they can remember what they want to bring. 

To help you get an idea of what you might need in your emergency kits, check out Get Ready’s interactive planner. 

Join our Southside emergency response volunteers

As our community faces the growing challenges of climate-related events like floods and extreme heat, we need your support.

We’re putting together a team of dedicated volunteers who can lend a hand when disaster strikes, whether it's distributing supplies, setting up pop-up dinners, or providing essential services to those in need.

Whether it’s delivering food, filling sandbags or sweeping out flood mud, our Southside Flood Response Volunteer network is there to help. Head here to sign up to volunteer