What to do after an emergency response

Stay informed through the media

Use a battery operated radio from your emergency kit to listen to the local ABC station for ongoing updates and information from emergency services and the SES. You can also keep across updates on social media (for example, Facebook and Twitter), and there are also numerous emergency services apps (for example, Australian Fires Bushfire Map).

Remain calm

• Check yourself and others for injuries
• Give first aid to those people injured or trapped
• Take care of life-threatening situations first or call for help
• Help any elderly neighbours and people with disabilities.

Check your home

Put on sturdy shoes and protective clothing to prevent injury from debris, such as broken glass and check your home for any damage. If your home is unsafe, leave and don’t return. If you’re unable to leave unassisted, call emergency services.

Returning to your home

When you return, here are some basic things to do:

• Wear protective clothing and a mask
• Turn off power and gas before entering the property
• Check for hazards such as live electricity, leaking gas, septic or sewage leaks and major structural damage
• Call your insurance company as soon as possible
• Make a list of damaged items for the insurance company and don’t throw away any items other than perishable goods
• Lock and secure entry points to protect your home from theft or vandalism.

Getting your property back to normal

• Wear protective clothing including boots, eye protection, gloves and a mask
• Discard food, drink and medicines that have been exposed or defrosted
• Have power points checked by a certified electrician and get them to also evaluate electrical equipment and the hot water system
• Inspect gas appliances and gas bottles
• Clean and run taps for a few minutes to eliminate contaminants
• Open doors and windows to dry and create air flow
• Discard porous items such as mattresses, leather goods, soft toys and ceiling insulation
• Clean walls with a mild detergent
• Dry rugs and carpet as soon as you can with heaters and fans to prevent them from rotting
• Scrub furniture with a cleaner and brush in the shade for ventilation, and remember to remove drawers
• Wipe leather goods with a damp cloth and then a dry cloth. Stuffing purses with newspaper can help them retain their shape.

Check insurance

Make sure your home and contents insurance is up-to-date and that the sum-insured amount is enough to rebuild or replace your contents. It’s a good idea to have your insurer’s details handy and know how to contact them should you need to in a hurry.