Living in the City
Expecting the Unexpected:
How to get ready
Be Prepared
The more prepared you are, the calmer you will be in an emergency. This website contains information that will help you prepare for the unexpected. Find out how to:
- Take the Get Ready Sydney test for residents
- Develop a Personal Emergency Plan
- Prepare a Go Bag
- Know how to respond
Know how to respond
In an emergency, the authorities may ask you to:
- Evacuate your home; or
- Remain inside your building.
These instructions may come from emergency services personnel, other authorized personnel or building management (if you live in an apartment building).
If you have to leave your building:
- Respond quickly. Leave all non-essentials behind. Having a Go Bag ready will make it easy to take all your important items with you.
- If you have any neighbours who need help evacuating, check on them first.
- If it is safe to do so, take your pets with you. Put large pets on a leash, even if you don’t normally use one. If you do not have a suitable pet carrier you can carry your cat in a cardboard box with a lid. Don’t forget to make breathing holes in the box.
- If you have time, turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug appliances and lock all doors and windows. If you need to get out quickly, just lock your door behind you. Use your common sense, and listen to any instructions from emergency personnel.
- During a disruption, it’s easy to lose track of family members. If you have a Personal Emergency Plan, meeting up again will be much easier.
- In a major disruption, roads may be closed and public transport may not be running.