Check your Neighbours
Print out your copies of the Check your Neighbours checklist.
Check on your neighbours
From time to time, all households may need support, regardless of its make-up. It is important to talk to your neighbours before an emergency happens so your neighbourhood community is prepared to help others during times of need. Getting to know your neighbours is an important part of preparing your household.
Do any of your neighbours have special skills, eg medical, technical, trade? Plan how your neighbourhood could work together after a disaster.
Know your neighbours
There may be people in your community who could need more help than others in the case of an emergency - help that can often by provided by neighbours. Think about people in your neighbourhood who may need your help; for example:
- Older people living at home by themselves.
- People with physical or sensory disabilities.
- People with a chronic illness or with a mental illness.
- Single parents with young children.
- Large families.
- People newly arrived to the area, including tourists, refugees or newly arrived immigrants.
Help your neighbours
- Provide information about what is happening.
- Help to secure a property prior to a cyclone or storm.
- Help to evaluate and prepare the home for an emergency by:
- Helping to prepare a household emergency plan
- Helping to prepare an emergency kit
- Helping to prepare an emergency plan for pets or assistance dogs
- Assist in identifying and obtaining the resources needed to cope effectively with an emergency.
- Assist in moving furniture and valuables out of the way of flood water.
- Provide a place to shelter while an emergency occurs.
- Help in the clean up after an emergency.
- Simply sitting down, having a cup of tea and chatting about what has happened.
If there are people who might need help in your area, talk to them about emergency planning. If they are happy to talk to you – and remember that many people value their privacy – you might want to ask them if they would like assistance preparing their emergency plan or preparing their home and yard.
Follow the links to an information sheet for further information.
Don’t be caught out by a storm, cyclone or flood this season. Take steps to prepare now!
Further information and reading
Bureau of Meteorology |
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Be Prepared |
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Emergency Contact Information |
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Emergency Management Australia |
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Emergency Management Queensland |
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Emergency REDiPlan |
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Queensland disaster management services |
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Tune into Warnings |
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Department of Communities |
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Australian Red Cross |
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Lifeline Community Care Queensland |
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The Salvation Army |
Print out your copies of the Check your Neighbours checklist.
Last updated 9 August 2011
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