What to do if an Emergency occurs
If an emergency occurs where life or property is threatened, there are a number of things you can do
- Phone 000 for police, fire and ambulance (dial 106 through TTY if you have a speech or hearing impairment) to request attendance by emergency services. DO NOT assume others will do this
- For SES attendance phone 132 500
- DO NOT phone 000 for information; the operator will not be able to provide it
- During an emergency, do not wait for emergency workers to knock on your door – seek out information from reliable sources
- Check for injuries (attend to your own injuries first so you can help others)
- Seek medical assistance then consider the basic first aid tips until professional medical assistance arrives
- Ensure your family and neighbours are safe, especially the elderly and those with disability or who may not understand English well
- Phone your out-of-town contact but keep the conversation short to free up the lines for others
- Check for damage to your home (i.e. fires, gas leaks) and shut off electricity, gas and water if necessary. In darkness, use a torch to find them - DO NOT light matches or candles or turn on electrical switches
- You may be advised to stay in your house or evacuate, in either case, follow the advice given by emergency services as it will be tailored to the circumstances
- Should evacuation be advised, take all your prescribed medications (and repeat prescriptions), identification, credit/ key cards and cash as part of your emergency kit
Seek reliable information about what is happening and advice from emergency services.
This information may be provided
- In person by emergency services at the scene
- Via radio (ABC 774AM) or television
- By telephone from call centres set up to advise people about the specific event (these will be broadcast over radio and television).
- Via the website http://emergency.vic.gov.au