Emergency preparedness

Resources

• We would like all of our residents to consider their emergency preparedness, relevant to their personal circumstances. 

  Our community is at risk of encountering an emergency at any time, from bushfires to storms.  

  Get Ready Rockingham Brochure

   

  

  Storm ready

  Storms are the most common natural hazard in Australia.  While storms can happen at any time of the year, in Western Australia (south of Geraldton) they occur more frequently between May and October.

  People who take action to prepare for one before they happen are more likely to keep themselves, their families, their pets and their property safe.

  Prepare for a storm 

  Once the Bureau of Metereology (BOM) issues a severe weather warning, DFES will provide alerts and updates through Emergency WA.

  Related documents

  • Get Ready Rockingham Brochure 6.9 MB

• Over 90% of WA is bushfire prone. Developing a plan before bushfire season and regularly updating this is the first step in keeping you and your family safe.

  For further information to be bushfire ready, prepare your bushfire plan today.

  As part of your plan, an emergency evacuation kit is essential and contains items for your family, pets and vulnerable family members. Always know where it’s kept and keep it accessible.

  Ensure your evacuation plan is clear and you know safe places nearby to seek respite. Check that you: 

  • scan important documents to a thumb drive or email them to yourself
  • know what would happen if there is a power outage or phone services are not working
  • make sure you and your family practice your evacuation plan regularly and allow for contingencies
  • have your home and contents insurance is up to date.

  Following advice from authorities

  The Emergency WA website provides official emergency information and community safety warnings.

• Firebreaks and hazard reduction

  Visit our fire prevention page for guidance on preparing your property by installing firebreaks.

  Firebreaks are a legal requirement under the Bush Fires Act 1954 and minimise the spread or extension of bushfire and provides safe access for emergency vehicles to your property.

  Always remove hazards from around your property, such as slashing any long, dry grass, clearing gutters, cutting overhanging branches.

  Mains water supply cannot be guaranteed during a bushfire

  Fire damage and power cuts could result in a total loss of water for your property.

  If you choose to stay during a bushfire, independent water supply is essential.

  That is, water supply of at least 20,000 litres along with a pump and generator to actively defend your property.

  Bushfires and water supply (Water Corporation)

  Firewise landscaping 

  If you live in a bushfire-prone area, creating a fire resilient landscape can help protect your home against the threat of bushfire.

  A firewise garden is designed and maintained to reduce the risk of bushfire impact on your home and other buildings on your property.

  

  Firewise landscaping design principles

  Regardless of where you are located, or what type of garden you have, the below principles can help guide your firewise landscape design.

  Landscape design:

  • Reduce availability and volume of fuel (including vegetation and combustible materials/objects). Move these away from your home/structures.
  • Create deliberate breaks by installing zones using paths, driveways, access tracks, ponds, pool etc.
  • Regular and planned maintenance is essential for achieving a successful firewise garden. Consider low-maintenance garden options with open spaces, lawn areas and plants that require less maintenance.
  • Remove overhanging vegetation from your home/structures to reduce the potential for flame contact.
  • Lower ember sources by the removal of fine fuels, seed pods, bark on tree trunks and rake leaves away from the base of trees.

  Firewise plant selection:

  Even though all plants may burn under the right conditions, there are some species that are more fire-retardant than others. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has developed a guide that includes flammability rating for plants that will assist in determining suitability and selection of firewise plants.

  A balanced approach:

  • Water conservation – install efficient irrigation, consider collecting rainwater and recycling greywater for an alternate water supply, use hydrozoning principles to group plants with similar water needs and use non-combustible wind breaks and shading to create cooler areas.
  • Material selection – consider the use of locally sourced, repurposed and recycled low flammability materials. Avoid using timber-lined edging, raised timber or plastic garden beds that can easily burn. Use firewise, non-combustible mulch.
  • Biodiversity – select native species with low-flammability characteristics that can also attract insects, birds and animals and provide a home for native bees.

  Visit the Naragebup firewise garden 

  In 2023, the City collaborated with the Forever Project team and Naragebup (Rockingham Regional Environment Centre Naragebup) to install a firewise landscape for the local community. Visit the centre (open 10am – 3pm, Thursday to Sunday) and walk through the firewise garden to learn about the different fire resilient components. The site includes educational signage and information sheets to empower residents to create and install their own firewise landscapes as part of their bushfire preparedness.

  

• • Know where your gas, water and electricity can be turned off.
  • Check your under-sink hoses and replace them at least every five years.  
  • Consider keeping a fire blanket in the kitchen and never leave stoves unattended. We offer our residents a subsidy scheme to assist them in purchasing home safety equipment for their home.
  • Regularly service your gas heaters and ensure you keep clear any flammable materials 
  • Keep a list of important numbers in an easy to find place.

• Having a good understanding of how you will manage your animals as part of your personal emergency survival plan may significantly improve outcomes for your animal(s) and yourself.

  Some key considerations when emergency planning for your animals:

  • practice your animal emergency plan as part of your personal emergency survival plan
  • discuss your plan with neighbours, friends and family
  • ensure that your animals are microchipped, registered and wear ID tags.
  • insure your animals
  • put together an animal emergency kit that can be easily relocated with your animal if necessary.

  We a have produced a Pets in Emergencies Guide to help you prepare for your pets ahead of any emergency.

  Animal emergency preparedness survey

  Thinking about emergency preparedness will also assist you to plan for emergency situations to keep your animals/livestock safe.

  We have two surveys: one for private rural and special rural residents and the other for commercial entities. Please take the time to complete a survey to reduce the impact of disasters and help improve the resilience of the Rockingham community.

  Private Property Survey

  Commercial Properties Survey

  Related documents

  • Pets in Emergencies 1.1 MB

  Video

• Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) is important for all members of our community.

  The P-CEP Toolkit is a valuable tool in enable people with disability to self-assess their preparedness and develop a personal emergency plan for before, during and after a disaster.

  Visit Collaborating 4 Inclusion to access resources to help plan for your safety, or the safety of people you care for in an emergency.