Before, During and After an Emergency

What you need in your cyclone emergency kit

Not sure what you should have in your emergency kit for severe weather and cyclones? Check out our comprehensive list.

Thing you should have in an emergency kit including food, water, battery-powered radio, games, puzzles, cash, toiletries

Are you prepared for cyclones?

Is your household prepared for a cyclone, or will you be a last-minute Larry looking for the last packet of batteries in the supermarket once a warning is issued?

Waves crashing on a beach with grey storm clouds overhead

You need to know about the AFDRS

The Australian Fire Danger Rating System gives you an idea of how dangerous a fire could be if one starts in your area.

Dry yellow grassy land with a bushfire burning red and orange in the distane. Lavender smoke fills the sky

Get ready for bushfires

The bushfire outlook for spring 2024 shows an increased risk of fire for the Northern Territory, Queensland and for parts of Victoria and South Australia. Don't wait, get ready now.

A red fire truck parked on a road beneath power lines under a smoky yellow sky

What to do if there's a bushfire in your area

Being prepared and following your bushfire survival plan is vital if there's a bushfire warning for your area.

A white ute and red fire trucks line a road in rural Victoria under large trees. Fire fighters in orange stand with the trucks

How to clean up after a storm or cyclone

Cleaning up after severe weather or cyclones can be exhausting and stressful. It's important to wait for the all-clear before you begin, wear protective gear and stay safe by listening to local authorities.

A man walks through a flooded easement with his white shepherd cross dog

Dealing with a power outage after a storm

Power outages from disasters can last anywhere from hours to weeks. Here are some tips to help you through a power cut safely.

Collapsed transmission towers in a field.

Lots of rain can mean mould, this is how to get rid of it.

Our houses can become breeding grounds for mould after prolonged rain. It's important to clean and remove it properly as it can lead to severe health effects.

Black school backpack with bright patterned straps covered in mould.

The floodwaters have receded. Now what?

Once the floodwaters recede you could be faced with structural damage to your home, contaminated water, river mud, black mould and sometimes dangerous animals. Here is some information to help with the recovery and clean up.

a man pushing a wheelbarrow in the backyard

Recover your body and your garden: after a heatwave

It can take a few days to fully recover after a heatwave. Here are some tips for you (and your garden).

How to listen to ABC Radio in an emergency

Stay informed in an emergency, set your local ABC radio station in the ABC listen app, and find the frequency on your battery-powered radio.

A roadside sign displaying the radio frequency for local ABC Emergency broadcasts in the Bega area.

Disasters and Domestic Violence — ways you can help

Family and domestic violence incidents increase after a disaster. Here are some things you can do to support someone if you think they are a victim.

Hand in front of a long-haired person's face with the word 'enough' written on the palm

How to prepare for severe weather and thunderstorms

Having a plan will keep you and your animals safe and help avoid damage to your home and property.

Lightning and storm clouds over a town, lit up at night. There are three forks of lightning lighting the grey cloudy sky.

This is what you should do in a flood evacuation

If your area is likely to flood the SES or council could issue an evacuation order. Follow these steps to stay safe.

two sate emergency service volunteers on a flooded road with one on a rubber boat

Preparing for disasters - do you know your Emergency ABCs?

Are you one of the 90 per cent of Australians who haven't made an emergency plan that could save your family and your home?

Know your ABCs in an emergency campaign image

You're on holiday and there's a bushfire nearby. Do you know what you will do?

It's important to stay up to date with weather conditions and the fire danger ratings for the area you'll be travelling to. Keeping your car radio tuned to the local ABC radio station is a good place to start.

Green coastal heath with a small cluster of houses overlooks a white sand crescent-shaped bay, smoke fills the horizon.

What if it floods while you're on holiday?

You'll need to know how to respond if severe weather turns into a flood emergency. Read this before your next trip.

A caravan in a puddle of water at the flooded Curtin Springs campground in the NT

Floods don't always move slowly, prepare now

Make sure you know your property flood risk, and prepare early because floods can happen quickly.

A white caravan with a green stripe and a dark blue stationwagon are surrounded by floodwater in a suburban street

Looking after animals in a heatwave

If the weather is too hot for you, it's too hot for your pets. Know what you need to do to keep your furry friends cool and safe during heatwaves.

a kelpie in a water tank with its paws over the edge as cows in the background looking on

Disability and disaster — a guide to help you plan and stay safe

If you are one of the 5.5 million Australians living with a disability, you are potentially more vulnerable to disaster risk. Use this guide and start your emergency planning now.

Two people sit facing towards each other doing Auslan

Designing a flood resilient home with Gardening Australia

In this episode of Gardening Australia, Jerry Coleby-Williams visits an architect who's built his practice on helping people design buildings that are more resilient to floods.

A woman's hands holding a chunk of dried mud with small holes in it.

When severe weather threatens, this is what you should do.

You've unplugged the modem and tied down the trampoline, so what else should you do now that the storm is here?

Storm clouds roll in over the Brisbane suburb of Annerley. A white house in the foreground stands out against the dark sky.

How to survive a severe heatwave

Don't take heatwaves lightly. Just like cyclones, flooding, bushfires and severe storms, heatwaves are hazards and they can kill.

Two Indigenous children play under a sprinkler in a park, one seated and one standing with arms outstretched

How to emotionally support your little ones through an emergency

Enduring a disaster can be traumatic for anyone. Children often need extra help understanding their feelings, here are some ideas for how you can help.

A mother hugs two young boys to her waist.

What to do during a cyclone

Cyclones are part of life in northern Australia. Whether you're in WA, the NT, the Gulf of Carpentaria or Queensland.

A blue and white WA police car parked on red dirt overlooking buildings under ominous grey storm clouds.

You're on holiday and there's a BOM cyclone watch. What do you do?

Here are the steps you should take if there's a cyclone heading for where you're holidaying.

a wide image of an empty marina with large dark clouds overhead

After The Disaster

After you've experienced a disaster, there is so much to work through. After the Disaster is a podcast that offers practical tips and evidence-based advice.