Emergency Ready Week 2023

5 September 2023

Emergency Ready Week, created by Australian Red Cross, will be held from Monday, 18 September to Sunday, 24 September 2023.

Hawkesbury City Council is a participating council with Resilient Sydney to help Australian Red Cross in building community resilience.

Emergency Ready Week aims to improve emergency preparedness by encouraging the community to make an emergency plan.

Get Emergency Ready today!

Download the Get Prepared app getprepared.app.link/Hawkesbury_City_Council

Make an emergency plan, a RediPlan, to protect what matters most with the Get Prepared App for IOS and Android. A paper version can be downloaded at rediplan-lite-interactive.pdf (redcross.org.au)

Download the Hazards Near Me NSW smartphone app to access emergency and hazard warnings www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app

The app allows users to digitally complete an Australian Red Cross RediPlan, empowering them to make important decisions ahead of time, to be better prepared for emergencies. The app is a free and easy to use tool to help people prepare for any type of emergency.

Download and use the survival kit checklist

Make a plan using the simple checklists get-packing.pdf (redcross.org.au) to complete the important actions to be prepared for emergencies.

Bookmark the Hawkesbury Disaster and Emergency Dashboard

See https://disaster.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au or go to Council’s website hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au and click on the Emergencies tab. The dashboard provides updates on road conditions, weather warnings, fire incidents, power outages, flood alerts, bush fire alerts and school closures.

Council’s Prepared, Informed and Ready webpage at www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/prepared has links to a range of preparedness resources. Council has free Prepared, Informed and Ready backpacks available for local residents at Community Hubs and other Council facilities – see www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/prepared for details or call Council on 4560 4444.

Bushfire

The annual Get Ready Weekend will also be held across NSW by the NSW Rural Fire Service on Saturday, 16 and Sunday, 17 September. To find out more about preparing your home and property for bushfire, visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au and www.facebook.com/nswrfs and develop a fire plan via this link myfireplan.com.au

Storms

Preparing now can help reduce damage caused by severe storms. See the simple things that you can do to prepare your home at ses.nsw.gov.au/storm-resources/before-a-storm/prepare-your-home

Extreme heat

Along with preparing for bushfires and floods, the Hawkesbury is subject to extreme heat, which can pose a serious risk to health and wellbeing. It is important to prepare well ahead of a heatwave.

To help to stay cool, you can install curtains or blinds to block out sun and heat when needed; shade your windows, especially west-facing windows, with a tree or with blockout screens; check that your fans and air-conditioners are working. Council also has an extreme heat policy for its facilities during heatwaves, subject to facilities being open.

On extreme heat days of 40 plus degrees, Council has a policy to extend the operating hours of Hawkesbury Central Library and Richmond Swimming Centre on weekends. On weekdays, these facility hours are already longer than weekends.

To see any last-minute changes to facility hours, see Council’s website www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au and Facebook www.facebook.com/hawkesburycitycouncil

Help our local wildlife on extreme heat days by placing water containers in the shade for them. WIRES  www.wires.org.au

Get ready for summer in five simple steps

1. Know your risk - think about the area you’re in and the types of disasters that could affect you

2. Plan now - sit down and talk with your family and plan for what you will do if a disaster affects your area

3. Get your home ready - prepare your home by doing general home maintenance and checking your insurance coverage

4. Be aware - find out how to prepare, what to do if there is a disaster in your area and connect with NSW emergency services to stay informed

5. Look out for each other - share information with your family, friends, neighbours, and those who may need assistance.

6. Remember your pets - see 10 top tips from the RSPCA NSW to help keep your pets cool https://bit.ly/2QzoOR2

Flood

The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley is a high flood risk region. Check your flood risk and find out how to prepare for future floods at myfloodrisk.nsw.gov.au

Make a plan for your animals Get Ready Animals | NSW State Emergency Service

Other links

See the Bureau of Meteorology’s Heatwave Service map for heatwave predictions at bom.gov.au/australia/heatwave

ABC Emergency brings warnings and coverage of emergencies to one place before, during and after times of crisis and disaster. 702 AM is the emergency radio broadcaster. Read more at abc.net.au/emergency