Emergency and evacuation plans and kits

Prepare your emergency plan

Being prepared in advance can make emergencies less stressful and save precious time.

• Know your risk.
• Decide in advance if you will evacuate or shelter in place.
• Know your evacuation route.
• Prepare or update your Household Emergency Plan and make sure everyone in your household understands what will happen in an emergency situation.
• Plan how you will look after your pets. Pets are your responsibility and evacuation centres are unlikely to accept pets apart from service animals.

For those with a disability, find out more about Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP). Co-designed and tested with people with a disability, P-CEP enables people to self-assess their preparedness, capability and support needs and develop a personal emergency plan

Prepare your emergency kit

Put together an Emergency Kit with items you may need if you have to stay in your home when essential services have been cut off (you need enough for at least three days). An emergency kit that is put in an easy to reach place which is known to all family members can prove invaluable in a disaster.

Include basic items below, however there could be other things your family would need that could be added to your kit. Your kit should be kept in a sturdy waterproof storage container and stored in a safe place in your home.

• Drinking water – 10 litres per person at a minimum
• First Aid kit
• Toiletries (including toilet paper)
• Scan and save important documents, contacts, emails, photos to a USB
• Can opener
• Up-to-date copies of important documents (drivers’ licence, insurance policies, passports, legal documents)
• Mobile phone, phone charger and fully charged portable battery/power pack
• Non-perishable food
• Torch (or two)
• Sturdy work gloves
• Battery powered radio
• Spare batteries to last three days

Prepare your evacuation kit

If it becomes unsafe for you to stay at home, you may need to evacuate. If so, in addition to your emergency kit, you need to pack an evacuation kit for each member of the household. An evacuation kit should be easy to grab and go and contain only essential items such as:

• Medication and aids such as prescription glasses, medic-alert bracelet or necklace, dosage measures, EpiPen, batteries for hearing aids.
• Multiple changes of clothes (long pants, long-sleeved shirts, hats and strong shoes are recommended).
• Pillow and sleeping bag for each household member.
• Books and games that do not require electricity.
• Small amount of cash in case ATMs are inaccessible or not working due to power failure.
• Put a reminder on your evacuation checklist to grab valuables, photos.

And don't forget your pets! You will need to pack a bag or box of necessities for your pet to last at least five days:

• Food and bottled water including feeding bowls and a can opener
• Medicines, medical records and first aid
• Collar and leash
• Bedding
• Birds and pocket pets need shelter coverage for their enclosure
• Pet carrier – carry boxes for smaller pets, leads for dogs and halters for livestock
• Sanitation – litter tray, litter, waste bags and cleaning products
• Pet insurance paperwork
• Vaccination and registration documentation
• Evidence if your pet is a service or assistance animal
• Emergency contact list – vet, local animal shelter, local council or alternative animal accommodation facility
• Toys