Preparing for emergencies

Some resources have been developed to help members of the community prepare for emergencies. Read on for information to help you plan for and recover from an emergency.

Short videos to help you prepare for emergencies

Are you prepared for an emergency booklet(PDF, 7MB) 

An Emergency Plan will help you think about what you will do if a fire, storm or flood happens at your home, or in your area.

Your Emergency Plan can be used for all emergencies. When making your plan choose one or more of the guides provided below. Make sure you share your written plan with the rest of your family and friends. Practicing your plan will help you remember what needs to be done during a crisis. It is also important to know your neighbours and who within your community may require assistance in the event of an emergency.

To help you get started, download an emergency management plan such as the Red Cross RediPlan. The plan should detail what you and your family will do before, during and after an emergency.

Resources

If your place of residence has been impacted by a house fire, flood or storm damage that has rendered it uninhabitable, emergency relief assistance may be available. Council can assist with information and referral to services that can help you find temporary accommodation, financial assistance, counselling services as well assistance with other services that you may require. Please contact Council on 1300 882 233.

During an Emergency:

  • If you have made a plan start to follow it. It is important to stick to your plan.
  • If you haven’t made a plan you may need to act immediately to protect yourself and your family. It is important to speak to your neighbours so you can work together and check on those that made need assistance.

Council’s role in an emergency is to coordinate relief and recovery activities in partnership with agencies such as the Victoria Police, Red Cross, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, The Salvation Army and VCC Emergencies Ministry.

Depending on the scale of the emergency, Council may activate a Municipal Emergency Operations Centre (MECC) where Council runs emergency management activities. This could include coordination of tree crews to clear debris and fallen trees, building surveyors to inspect damaged homes and buildings, resourcing Emergency Relief Centres and communications with key agencies.

If the emergency leads to a significant number of people having to unexpectedly leave their homes, then an Emergency Relief Centre (ERC) may be set up. The location of the ERC will be determined at the time of the need, as it will need to be located away from the immediate threat.  This is a place where affected community members can come for a range of support such as:

  • Community information
  • Emergency shelter
  • Food and water
  • Psychosocial support
  • First Aid
  • Reconnecting family and friends
  • Emergency financial assistance
  • Support for displaced animals

If an Emergency Relief Centre is established, the location will be advertised through various channels such as Councils website, radio, social media  and the VicEmergency website.

The recovery process will be coordinated by Council’s Municipal Recovery Manager through a Municipal Recovery Plan to enable the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure and the restoration of emotional, economic and physical well-being of the community. Depending on the scale of the emergency, Council may establish an Emergency Recovery Centre in collaboration with various agencies and organisations to offer a range of information, programs and support to the community. 

Resources for after an emergency

Financial and legal assistance

Insurance

Other

Maroondah’s Community Directory lists a range of local community groups and organisations that could help you with a variety of needs. From food and clothing, through to counselling and other support.

Stay informed 

You can also get up-to-date information from:

  • Vic Emergency includes a real-time Google Map display with emergency events
  • Vic Emergency app - official Victorian Government app with fire warnings, information on planned burns and other types of incidents
  • Vic Emergency Hotline: 1800 226 226
  • ABC local radio: 774 AM
  • Eastern FM radio 98.1 FM
  • Ausnet Power Outages tracker
  • Department of Health Alerts advises the Victorian community of an issue that is urgent, poses an immediate threat to public health and requires an immediate response.
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