Prepare yourself and your household
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Build your self‑reliance
Queensland faces more natural disasters than any other state, so being informed and self‑reliant is essential. Self‑reliance means having the knowledge, plans, and basic supplies to keep your household safe until help arrives – it’s not about doing everything alone, but being ready to act during severe weather.
Start by understanding the hazards that could affect your suburb and home with Suburb emergency profiles. Depending on where you live, you may face bushfires, severe storms, or storm surge near Moreton Bay, but remember that flash flooding and storm damage can occur almost anywhere. Also consider how disruptions - like long power outages, transport impacts, or temporary isolation – might affect your household.
Think about where you might go if you couldn’t return home or needed to leave quickly.
Being prepared helps you stay safe during an emergency and recover faster afterwards. You can also build your readiness over time with simple steps - start with small tasks this week, add more over the month, and strengthen your preparedness each season.
Knowing your risks helps you plan ahead.
Learn more about the importance of self-reliance during Queensland's disaster season from Get Ready Queensland.
Prepare your Household Emergency Plan
Preparing a Household Emergency Plan ensures everyone in your home knows what to do during an emergency. Planning ahead reduces stress, saves time, and helps your household recover more quickly. The Australian Red Cross Emergency REDiPlan provides a useful template for creating your plan or use the Red Cross Get Prepared app.
The Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Workbook helps people with a disability, mobility, age-related, chronic health or other support needs create an emergency plan tailored to your needs.
When developing your plan, consider:
- Involve all household members
- Plan for pets – evacuation centres may not accept animals
- Identify two evacuation routes and consider hazards like flash flooding
- List out‑of‑town contacts and important phone numbers (medical, vet, chemist, essential services, family/friends)
- Arrange alternative accommodation with family or friends where possible; evacuation centres offer only short‑term, basic support
- Review your insurance and include policy details in your plan
- Create a simple household financial plan to understand essential expenses
- Ensure your personal affairs are in order, including having a will.
A clear plan helps your household stay safe, organised, and resilient during and after an emergency.
Pack an emergency kit
Every home should have an emergency kit in case you need to leave quickly, or if there is no electricity or running water.
Think about what items everyone in your family might need to stay at home for 5-7 days or if you had to evacuate. Place them in a waterproof container or bag so it's easy to grab and go during an emergency. For example:
- a first aid kit – include items like bandages and scissors
- bottled water and long-life food, this may include canned food and don't forget a can opener
- essential medications, toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap/shampoo, personal hygiene items, hand sanitiser/wipes etc.
- a torch
- a battery powered radio and spare batteries
- a mobile phone, charger and portable power bank
- special items/food for infants or pets
- copies or a USB with important documents such as insurance policies, birth certificates, passports etc.
For tips on preparing an emergency kit, visit Get Ready Queensland.
Check‑in with neighbours
Getting to know your neighbours is an important part of preparing for disasters. A connected neighbourhood can share information, support each other, and work together when emergencies happen.
Neighbours can help by securing homes before a storm, moving valuables ahead of floods, clearing properties before bushfire season, offering temporary shelter, helping with clean‑up or simply checking in after an event.
Think about who in your street may need extra support during an emergency - older residents, people with disabilities or chronic illness, single parents, large families, or those new to the area, including tourists.
Building these connections now strengthens your community and makes it easier for everyone to cope when a disaster occurs.