General Advice for Residents
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Emergency Advice
Remember your personal safety - think before you act
- Keep calm and reassure others.
- Check on your family.
- Listen to your radio for information and instructions.
- Wear sensible clothing for the conditions (especially footwear) if going out.
- Check on your neighbours.
- Check and secure pets.
- Read the back page of the Yellow pages phone book
In an earthquake
If you are indoors, stay there - it is safer than going outside. Take cover under a doorframe or solid furniture.
If you are outside, move to a doorway or away from buildings, power lines and other potential hazards. If you are driving, stop the car and stay in the car.
In a flood
Listen to the radio for information and instructions to evacuate.
Raise or remove valuable items if there is time and move fuel and chemical containers to above the expected flood level.
Don't walk or drive through flowing flood waters and avoid contact with flood water that may be contaminated.
In a tsunami warning / coastal storm
Stay away from beaches and river mouths. People in low-lying coastal areas will be warned by warning over the radio, television, or door knock by police/fire/search and rescue groups.
Listen to your radio for evacuation instructions and if advised to evacuate take the most direct route to higher ground.
In a major chemical spill
Stay clear of the spill and stay inside - you are safer there from any fumes.
Gather in a room with few windows and doors and put wet towels around door and window edges to seal them.
Listen to your radio for information and instructions.
In a snowstorm
Check snow build-up on the roof, particularly if the roof is flat or has little slope, as the weight can cause structural damage.
Check roof valleys as snow build-up can block the guttering and lead to water damage as it thaws.
Electricity may fail during heavy snowfall so be prepared to keep warm and prepare meals without power. Ensure you have a bit of extra food and fuel during winter in case you get stuck at home for a few days.
In a windstorm
Listen to the radio for information and forecasts. Before the storm, secure loose items that could be blown about.
Put tape across large windows and draw curtains. Once the storm starts, stay indoors.
If your roof starts to lift, partially open a window on the sheltered side of the house. This equals the pressure difference between inside and out and may reduce damage to the building.
In a thunderstorm
Move away from high ground, metal poles and trees. Seek shelter indoors. If caught out in the open make yourself as small as possible.