Developing a Personal Emergency Plan is one way you can be better prepared in extreme emergency such as a fire, flood or storm.

What to prepare:

• Identify the kinds of emergencies that could impact on you – is your home at risk of natural disasters such as severe storms, flooding or bushfire? To see if you're in a flood or bushfire zone, use our online mapping tool.
• Create a Home Evacuation Plan – Draw a floor plan of your home, mark up a main escape route and backup escape routes. Include routes out of your area, location of equipment, medications, a meeting place outside of your home. Provide a copy to family and household members and place a copy on the fridge. Example
• Create a Contact List – Details of family members/carers, local emergency telephone numbers (SES, Local Council, Gas, Electricity, Water), place a copy near your phone, always dial Triple Zero (000) for Police, Fire and Ambulance.
• Identify meeting places – for everyone in your household – ONE close to your home, ONE further away from home in case you cannot return to your area.
• Inform Schools and Child Care authorities – of people who are permitted to pick up your children if you are unable to do so. Back
• Bushfire Survival Plan (RFS)
• Personal Extreme Weather Plan (NSW Health)
• Home Emergency Plan (NSW SES)
• Escape Plan (NSW Fire & Rescue) It is also a good idea to follow your local emergency agencies on Facebook/Twitter
• Find out about other Emergency Plans – your children’s schools, your workplace, your apartment building.
• Develop a plan for family pets & livestock – animals may not be allowed to evacuation shelters.
• Insurance – Ensure you have adequate household insurance and take a copy of your current policy with you.
• Important Documents – store important documents safely (eg., wills, passports, birth & marriage certificates, insurance policies), in a waterproof container or safe deposit box.
• Locate where to turn off - water, gas and electricity supplies in your home.
• Learn some basic First Aid.
• Prepare a Home Emergency Kit – Store in a waterproof box in an easy to reach place, ensure everyone knows where it is, check use-by dates regularly.