Be ready to leave in an emergency

In this guide we explain how to get ready to leave in an emergency. 

An emergency: 

• is a dangerous situation 
• is something we don’t expect to happen 
• can put our health and safety at risk.

It’s important to stay up to date with what is happening during an emergency.

You can visit the:
 

• Rural Fire Service website

• State Emergency Service website. 

You can listen to your local ABC radio.

You can also stay in touch with friends and family to share information with each other.

When you evacuate, you: 

• leave a dangerous place 
• go to a safer place.

You might get told to evacuate: 

• in a text message 
• in a phone call 
• from someone at your door 
• from a warning siren.

But an emergency can happen quickly. 

There might not be time to tell you to evacuate.

Or the phones and internet might not work.

If you are worried about your safety, you should evacuate as soon as you can. 

You don’t need to wait.

You should help the people you live with to evacuate with you.

You should tell your friends and neighbours you are leaving.

If you have time, you can protect your home by: 

• locking your doors and windows 
• turning off power, gas and water.

You need to make sure the path you will use to evacuate is safe.

You should never travel through: 

• fire 
• flood water.

You can check if the road is clear on our Live Traffic website. 
 

You should find somewhere to stay for a few days.

This might be at a: 

• friend or family member’s house 
• hotel 
• apartment.

Or you might need to stay at an emergency centre.

You can learn more about these centres on our website. 

You should plan to be away from home for 3 days or more.

This means you might need:
 

• money or your bank cards

• medicine and toiletries, like toothpaste or nappies for babies

• your mobile phone and a charger

• a tool, like a pocket knife

• clothes for everyone

• food and water

• toys for your children

• your pets, including pet food or a leash.

You can learn how to get your pets or livestock ready for an emergency on our website. 

You might also want to take important documents with you. 

For example, documents that: 

• say who you are 
• show that you own your home 
• explain what medicine you need.

You can learn more about how to keep your important documents safe on our website. 

People with disability might need more support to evacuate.

You should plan how to evacuate if you: 

• are a person with disability 
• live with a person with disability 
• have a friend, family member or neighbour with disability.

You might need to pack:

• medicine

• mobility aids

• something to stay calm

• some things for a support animal.

You should also think about where you will go when you evacuate. You should make sure the place is easy to: 

• find and use 
• move around in.

You should also make sure there is support available where you will go.

Other pages for you:

• If you have to evacuate