Planning for an Emergency

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Emergencies can happen anytime, so it is important to be as ready as possible to protect yourself, your family, and your property.

Resilience NSW outlines five simple steps to get ready for disasters:

  1. Know your risk – think about the area you live in and the types of disasters that could affect you.
  2. Plan now for what you will do – talk to your family and plan, pack a survival and recovery kit and have it ready to go.
  3. Get your home ready – prepare your home by doing general home maintenance and checking your insurance.
  4. Be aware – find out how to prepare and what to do if there is a disaster in your area.
  5. Look out for each other – share information with your family, friends, and neighbours.
Prepare your Emergency Survival Kit

An emergency kit should be put together before a disaster happens. It can save you valuable time if you need to leave your home or defend your property, and can help you survive.

How to Prepare an Emergency Survival Kit

Your emergency survival kit should include items that will help you survive an emergency. That includes whether you're going to leave, or stay and defend your home.

It should include supplies for several days. 

  • Pack and check your kit before every storm and bushfire season.
  • Keep it in a sturdy, waterproof storage container and in a place where it will be easy to access when you're in a hurry.
  • Mark your kit clearly and put reflective tape on or around it so you can easily find it in the dark.

What to Pack in your Emergency Survival Kit

To keep safe and informed
  • Portable battery-operated radio
  • Waterproof torch, head torch
  • Spare batteries
  • First aid kit with manual
  • Face masks – P2/N95-rated face masks can filter out the fine particles in smoke

  • Alcohol-based hand sanitiser

In case you can't return home immediately
  • Manual can opener, cutlery, plates
  • Cooking equipment, in case you are unable to return home (for example, a portable stove, fuel, pots, pans)
  • Detergent and chlorine bleach, to sterilise cooking equipment and other items that get dirty
  • Candles with waterproof matches
  • Woollen blankets
  • Emergency contact numbers
  • Waterproof bag for valuables
Important documents
Sentimental items
  • You might also wish to make a list of sentimental items to take with you. Make a map of where they are kept, make copies or take photos.

What to Pack for when you Return Home

Pack as many of these things as possible so that you have them handy after an event.

  • Protective clothing, sunscreen and hat
  • Sturdy footwear
  • Disposable and heavy-duty work gloves
  • Disposable coveralls (with long sleeves and trousers)
  • P2/N95 face masks
Get Ready Narrabri Shire

Everyday actions make a difference. Together, we can prepare our community for natural disasters such as storms, fires and floods.

Preparing for a Natural Disaster

Guidance on how to prepare your home, family or business for natural disasters, such as storms, floods, bushfires and heatwaves.

To prepare, it is recommended to create an emergency plan and gather important documents and phone numbers.

The NSW SES offers templates for home emergency plans.

The Australian Red Cross has a ‘Get Prepared’ app that allows you to create an emergency plan on a mobile device. 

Your Household Emergency Plan

It only takes 15 minutes to plan what you would do in a disaster. Find guidance on how to make your household ready for:

Preparing for Emergencies

The NSW Government has general emergency information.

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