Aussies urged to make emergency plan during storm season

A concerning amount of Aussies don’t have an emergency plan during storm season, despite one in three people expected to experience some sort of disaster.

Less than half of Australians have planned how they would react in an emergency during a natural disaster, despite the likelihood storm season will cause havoc to many states.

With summer in full swing, NSW SES warns the frequency of storms, strong winds and heavy rain increases during storm season traditionally between September and April each year.

Cyclones and bushfires are also likely to strike during the summer months but many Australians aren’t thinking ahead when it comes to having a plan on what they’d do in case of an emergency.

Wild winds can cause immediate havoc to suburbs, with authorities warning residents to take precautions. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

Parts of Victoria and NSW have already experienced the impact of bushfires, with residents being urged to remain on high alert as the season continues.

Several fires in the Grampians National Park remain out-of-control on Saturday, having burned through a patch of land estimated to be near the size of Singapore.

Majority of Aussies aren’t ready for storm season

The latest Red Cross research found 40 per cent of people surveyed hadn’t spent that much time getting prepared for disasters.

Australian Red Cross Queensland Director, Collin Sivalingum, said not enough people have a plan for when a disaster strikes.

“The research at Red Cross clearly indicates that not as many people are taking actions to prepare for disasters, and whether it’s all as it’s whether it’s fires or cyclones or floods,” Mr Sivalingum said.

“Unfortunately, most people know it could happen, and they’re aware of the disasters that they can be impacted by, but they’re not taking that action to actually prepare for extreme weather conditions.

“I think there’s a level of complacency that it may not happen to us or it might not happen, but the research is clear one in three Australians will experience some sort of emergency in their lifetime.”

Summer bushfires are just one event people should be prepared for. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Why it’s important to have a plan

Mr Sivalingum said people should be prepared for disasters even if they don’t live in a high risk area.

“You should be prepared all the time, because you could be on holiday, you could be travelling, you could have an emergency,” he said.

“It can happen any day, anytime.

“It should be part of our DNA.

“You jump into the car and you put your seatbelt on, right? We’ve got to normalise this.

“I think what the big issue is that we say, ‘I don’t live in far tropical Queensland, I don’t think I’m going to have cyclone events’ but you don’t have to be in a high risk area for a disaster or emergency to take place.

“The single big thing out of this is that we have the complacency because of where we live, and we think it’s a safe environment.

“Of course, we need to be safe and holiday we need to do things, but be aware constantly of our surroundings and the disasters can happen anyway, because it’s getting more and more frequent.”

Aussies should have an emergency plan they can action at any given moment. Picture: DFES

Mr Sivalingum said having a plan can also help reduce the long lasting psychological impacts of recovery after living through a disaster, especially for children.

“Our research indicates that experience shows that the impacts of emergency, emergencies can be quite profound and for long lasting, especially psychosocial and emotional implications, especially for children that are generally more vulnerable during a disaster,” he said.

“Psychologically preparing for a disaster is really important because in a very stressful environment you’re not thinking clearly and the emotions are very high.

“Taking the time to have conversations with young people, for example, saying ‘we’re going to be safe’ gives that reassurance.”

People are being urged to make sure they’re ready for wild weather disasters, including flash flooding. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

How to prepare for summer

Mr Sivalingum said there’s plenty of things people can and should do to prepare for storms and natural disasters across the summer months.

“You can take simple actions like having an emergency kit, for example, or you can attend a workshop or you can do a first aid course,” he said.

Mr Sivalingum encouraged people to make sure they’ve got their important documents, medication and scripts, an evacuation plan and any sentimental items ready to grab at a moment’s notice.

“I have an emergency plan. If something goes wrong, I just carry the kit, and the family knows exactly where to go, and most of us think it would not happen to us until it actually happens,” he said.

People should also make sure they have a plan for their pets in an emergency.

A man paddles to safety during a major flooding event. Photo: NewsWire/ Elise Derwin

NSW SES Randwick Unit member Robert Leach said preparing early and planning for pets is crucial for managing the potential risks.

“Animals are considered a part of our families. When disaster strikes, no one should be faced with a decision to leave animals behind,” Mr Leach said.

“Sadly, we’ve seen too often where people will refuse to evacuate if they can’t take their animals with them. Including animals in emergency planning is not only for the wellbeing of the animal, but for people’s safety too.

“We’ve already seen so much devastation from fires and floods and we’re ensuring we’re better prepared for the next disaster. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

In 2022 NSW SES performed more than 66,000 animal rescues across the state during wild weather events.