Preparing now, when it is not flooding

Preparing now for a flood can potentially save lives and can minimise damage to property and possessions.

There are a few things you can do now, while it is not flooding, to prepare your family, your business and your property for floods. These include:

• Knowing the risk of flood impacts where you live, work, where your children go to school and where you travel to
• Knowing where to go in times of floods
• Knowing who to call for emergency help and assistance
• Making a FloodSafe plan with your family or at work so that you know what to do, when to do it and how you are going to do it
• Putting together an emergency kit

View the NSW SES What to do before a flood Fact Sheet

Know your risk

Knowing your risk can help you plan for floods. Most flood affected areas in NSW have Local Flood Plans which outline the flood risk for that area. Local Flood Plans are public documents and you can source these from your local Council or library.

• Find out if you live or work in an area that may be affected by flooding. This includes your home, where you work, where you keep animals and where your children go to school.
• Check on the FloodSafe Guides page to see if there is a local FloodSafe Guide for your area - Generic FloodSafe Guides are also available there. Talking with neighbours or people who have lived in the area for a while can also provide you with local knowledge about floods
• Know the height at which your home, business and/or property could be affected by floodwater. Find out how deep the water could get in and around your property
• Contact your local Council if you want more information on how flooding could directly affect your property

Remember, that floods larger than previously experienced can happen, so it is best to prepare for extreme floods.

Know where to go

• Find the safest route to travel in the event that you might need to evacuate and identify the height at which your evacuation route may be cut
• Find out where any evacuation centres could be set up in your area. If you prefer, check with friends and relatives outside the flood prone area to organise a place to go
• Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater. For more information on the dangers of entering floodwater, visit the Never drive, ride, walk or play in floodwater information page

Know who to call

• For emergency help in floods and storms, call the SES on 132 500
• Keep local emergency numbers handy (near your phone or on your fridge)
• In a life-threatening emergency, call 000 (triple zero)

During floods, there will be information lines and contact numbers and websites available for a range of information including road conditions, public information and welfare services. These contact numbers and websites will be announced in media and on the SES website during floods.

Know your plan

Planning for potential floods is one of the most important things you can do. Knowing the risk, what you will do, when you will do it and how to do it is important to ensure minimal impact from flood events on you and your families lives. Having a FloodSafe Plan will reduce the impacts and loss associated with floods and can save lives. Planning now will make sure you act with confidence and competence in times of flood.

• To help households and businesses plan for flooding, the SES has developed Home and Business FloodSafe Toolkits. These toolkits assist you in preparing for floods by detailing what actions you will do, how you will do those actions and when you will do them
• Review your plan annually to keep it up-to-date

Get your kit together

• Put together an emergency kit for your home or business
• If you are likely to be isolated by floodwater, have sufficient non-perishable food, essential medications, fuel and other necessities to last at least a week. Remember to include pet food and/or stock feed if required

Look out for the SES at a local event near you and ask the volunteers about the NSW SES FloodSafe program