Connect with others, Keep up to date, Act safe.
Know your risk
Storms can happen anywhere at any time and cause flooding.
Storms can damage
- trees
- buildings
- power-lines
Flood waters can rise quickly.
Even if a storm or flood does not damage your home, you may lose
- power
- phone and internet connection
- road access
Prepare your household
Prepare an emergency plan that everyone in your household understands.
View the checklists or go to or redcross.org.au/emergencies
Prepare an emergency kit
Pack now
Battery powered radio and torch, spare batteries
Important information, such as your emergency plan
Rubber or strong leather gloves
First aid kit
Food and water
Pack when needed
Warm clothes, strong shoes or boots
Medicines, glasses and other essential items
Pet food and anything else your pets need
Mobile phone and phone charger
Photos and special keepsakes
Important documents, for example
- insurance papers
- passports
- birth certificates
- money
Reduce risk where you can
Think about floods and storms when buying or developing a house or other property.
Remove trees that could fall on your home.
Keep your gutters and drains clear.
Connect with your neighbours and get involved in your community
Check your neighbours are aware of the dangers and safe.
Stay up to date
Keep up to date on current storm and flood warnings and information.
- TasALERT.com – for key information and warnings during emergencies
- Download the TasALERT app to get warnings straight to your phone
- ABC Local Radio – find your local frequency
- National Relay Service Phone 133 677
- Bureau of Meteorology Warnings Phone 1300 659 217
Understand the warnings and key information
Advice (Yellow): an incident has started. There is no immediate danger. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.
Watch and Act (Orange): There is a heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family
Emergency Warning (Red): An Emergency Warning is the highest level of warning. You may be in danger and need to take action immediately. Any delay now puts your life at risk.
Community update (Blue): Specific information and updates for affected communities regarding a particular event or incident.
Incident (White): an incident is the initial occurrence of an event before it becomes an emergency warning. As soon as an incident is reported, TasALERT published basic information including the type and location of incident.
Find out more about emergency warnings in Tasmania.
Act Safe
Look after children and pets
Check on family and neighbours
Tie down or put away anything that could blow or wash away.
Check your emergency kit is ready to go.
If you choose to leave, leave early.
Keep indoors. During storms, stay away from windows and unplug electrical items where you can.
Prepare for possible power, water or internet cuts.
If you evacuate
Follow the advice from SES and Tasmania Police.
Go to friends or family in a safer place or an evacuation centre.
Take your pets and your emergency kit.
Help prevent damage
Turn off your home’s electricity, gas and water at the mains.
Put plastic bags of sand or mud in toilets and over bath and sink plugholes.
Stay home unless it is unsafe to do so
Do not go sightseeing
If you do need to go out, watch out for hazards.
Water over roads.
Damaged power-lines.
Landslides or erosion.
Damaged roads.
Sewage or chemical hazards.
Damaged trees & roofing iron.
Drive slowly, turn on your headlights, turn away from floodwaters.
After
• Keep listening for updates and check www.tasalert.com
for information and available help after the event.
• If you left home, do not return until SES or Tasmania Police tell you it is safe.
• Watch out for hazards such as debris on roads or damaged roads.
If the storm or flood has damaged your home
Wear strong boots, gloves and protective clothes.
Do not turn on electricity and gas until a licensed electrician or gas-fitter tests it.
Use a torch, never matches or candles inside flood affected buildings.
Boil drinking water until you are told the tap water is safe again.
Take photos of any damage and contact your insurance company.
Check neighbours are okay.
If you need to stay somewhere else, take your emergency kit and pets with you.
Supervise children.
Further information
Preparing for storms & floods
Current warnings
Emergency Broadcasters
Your local ABC radio station
Southern Tasmania
abc.net.au/hobart
936AM
Northern Tasmania
abc.net.au/northtas
91.7FM (Launceston)
102.5FM (Burnie)
100.5FM (Devonport)
90.5FM (Queenstown)
88.5FM (King Island)
TAS SES Social Media
facebook.com/sestasmania
twitter.com/sestasmania
instagram.com/tasstateemergencyservice
Download this information in PDF format.
More information
Activating your emergency plan
The time you spent beforehand getting ready will pay off now and help keep you and what you value safe. Have an emergency kit ready to go.
Even if a severe storm or flood does not affect your property directly, access routes may be cut in an emergency. Depending where you live, prepare for possible extended cuts to
- Power
- Internet and Phone
- Water.
You are responsible for the safety of your animals.
Bring pets inside and prepare them for evacuation. See RSPCA’s Ready Pet Go information. If you have livestock, move them to higher ground if needed. See the Farm Flood Readiness Toolkit.
Be aware of weather conditions and warnings
- Download the TasALERT App or keep checking the website
- Listen to ABC local radio
- There may also be posts on Facebook, but these are not always timely
- Check that family and neighbours are safe and aware of what’s happening.
- View Tasmanian Police information on road access and closures.
Act on emergency warnings
Follow all advice given to you by emergency services. It is important to act early.
If your property could be unsafe, leave early before you may get cut off. See more information about leaving your home in an emergency
Take active steps to reduce damage to your property in a flood or storm.
Know who to call
Keep a list of emergency numbers handy.
(change to reflect the fridge flip first page)
If your property could flood or is damaged
Be ready to evacuate if necessary.
If you’re advised to evacuate or there is a chance your home could flood
- Follow all instructions given by authorities.
- Take your emergency kit.
- Take your pets with you. Put them on leads or in pet containers. Dogs should wear a muzzle.
- Turn off electricity, gas and water at the mains. Secure gas bottles and any other items that could float.
- Stay with others from home during the evacuation.
- Go to an evacuation centre if told to do so. If not, shelter at a friend or relative’s place on higher ground away from the flood.
- Let others know wherever you go.
See TasALERT to find the nearest evacuation centre. Go to family or friends if you can. Go early, as roads may be cut.
Reduce flood damage
If you have time, here are some steps for reducing flood damage before the flood arrives.
- Secure objects that are likely to float and cause damage.
- Securely stack furniture and possessions on benches and tables, placing electrical items on top.
- Place waste containers, chemicals and poisons well above the predicted water level.
- Block toilets and drains with sandbags to prevent sewerage backflow.
If you stay at home during a flood
- Be aware the home could be a refuge for snakes, spiders and vermin if there is flooding.
- Keep an eye out and don’t allow children to play in, or near, flood waters.
- Never drive in flood waters.
- Never swim or wade in flood waters.
What you need if you stay at home during a severe storm or flood
Keep safe during a severe storm
- Stay inside and keep away from windows.
- If you’re outdoors, find safe shelter – away from trees, powerlines and metal structures.
- Check that neighbours know about the warnings and are ready.
- Test batteries in radios and torches.
- Power blackouts can occur during storms. Turn off and unplug all non-essential electrical items.
- If there is a blackout, use a torch instead of candles.
If you’re driving:
- Be alert and watch for hazards: powerlines, fast-flowing water, washed away roads or bridges, tree branches and roofing iron.
- Slow down, drive to the conditions and keep your headlights on.
If you need help
If you need help because of flood, storm, landslide or tsunami, call SES on 132 500. There may be many people in danger or needing help, so we prioritise calls.
In life-threatening emergencies call Triple Zero (000).
SES volunteers are trained to
- assess damage
- do temporary emergency repairs, and
- advise and/or assist with some preventative measures.
This may include:
- placing tarpaulins on damaged roofs
- removing dangerous items such as fallen trees or branches
- giving safety advice
- providing access to homes and businesses
- rescuing people trapped or injured in damaged buildings.
Financial and emotional help after a major storm or flood
See more information on what to do after a storm or flood.
More information
- Be ready for storms and floods – visual guide
- Get ready for emergencies
- Primary Industry Flood Readiness Toolkit
- Business Tasmania resources on risk management, emergency preparedness and recovery