4. Becoming disaster resilient

This activity will enable students to explore online resources to learn what they can do to reduce the impacts of natural hazards in the community. A demonstration on how to find the required disaster preparedness information online via the Vic Emergency website will most likely be required before students undertake this activity.

Explore online resources to learn what you can do to reduce the impacts of  natural hazards in your community. Go to the Vic Emergency website.

• Go to the ‘Prepare and Get Ready’ tab
• Pick a hazard that is most likely to impact your area.
• Identify and share with the class one thing to do before a hazard event occurs.

Students now get more practice at locating and exploring online emergency planning resources for flood, storm, or bushfire and respond to a list of questions in the quiz section. A demonstration on how to find online information and tools will be required before students undertake this activity and quiz.

Depending on the hazard most likely to impact your area, select bushfire or flood.

Bushfire

1. Go to cfa.vic.gov.au
2. Click on ‘Plan and Prepare’ tab or download the ‘Your Guide to Survival’ PDF booklet
3. Answer the questions in the quiz

1. What does the Fire Danger Rating (FDR) tell us? Possible answer: The Fire Danger Ratings gives us an indication of the possible consequences of a fire, if one was to start. Fire Danger Ratings are based on predicted conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind, and the dryness of the landscape. The higher the fire danger rating, the more dangerous the conditions.

2. Describe one thing you can do to prepare your property for the summer bushfire season. Possible Answers:

• Keep grass cut to less than 10cm because long dry grass can catch fire easily and the fire will move very quickly towards a house.
• Keep gutters clear of leaf litter because embers from a bushfire can ignite leaf litter and set fire to the roof.
• Remove flammable items from decks and verandahs, such as cardboard boxes, furniture, and doormats because embers from a bushfire can ignite these flammable items and fire can spread to the house.
• Use pebbles or rocks in the garden (not flammable mulch) because embers will land in the garden but the pebbles and rocks won’t catch fire.
• Store flammable liquids away from the house because these might catch fire, explode, it will also increase a fires heat and hurt people.
• Get rid of dry grass, leaves, twigs, and loose bark because embers from a bushfire can ignite them and fire can spread closer to the house.
• Cut back overhanging branches – no branches within 10 metres of buildings because fire in trees will be very hot and fire can spread to the house.
• Prune lower branches of shrubs to separate from surface fuels underneath because fire can move up into the trees which will make the bushfire spread faster and make the fire very hot and increase burning embers.

3. Describe two ways you can stay informed of bushfire emergency warnings and updates. Possible Answers:

• Monitor the VicEmergency website or app
• Listen to local community radio news and ABC local radio station.
• Go to VicEmergency website or app.
• Social Media feeds of emergency services such as Twitter and Facebook.
• National Relay Service. 1800 555 677. Callers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/ communication impairment can call this number for assistance.
• Contact the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
• If people do not speak English they can call the translating and Interpreting service for translated information on 131 450.

4. Why should you develop an ‘emergency plan’? Possible Answer: Planning and preparing for emergencies can reduce the impact of the emergency and may help you to recover more quickly. Taking the time to think about emergencies and making a plan helps you to think clearly, have a greater sense of control and make better decisions when an emergency occurs.

Flood

1. Go to ses.vic.gov.au 
2. Click on the ‘Flood’ preparation section via the ‘Get Ready’ tab
3. Answer the questions in the quiz

1. Describe two things you and your family can do to be prepared for a flood.  Possible Answers:

• Know our local area, particularly if there is a history of flooding.
• Develop a flood emergency plan.
• Put together an emergency kit.
• Keep a list of our emergency numbers handy.
• Check that our neighbours are aware of any flood warnings.

2. Name and describe a type of flooding?  Possible Answers:

• a flash flood is when water will rise very quickly over a short period of time.
• Riverine flooding is when rivers burst their banks, and cover the surrounding low-lying land.
• Floods are also caused by a dam failure, pipeline failure, storm surge, and tsunami.

3. Describe one thing you should do or not do when there is a flood. Possible Answers:

• You should never drive, play, ride, walk or wade in floodwater.
• Always follow instructions and directions from local authorities and emergency services.
• Be ready to evacuate if necessary.
• Stay tuned to local media for current weather advice and warnings.
• Keep an eye out and don’t allow children to play in, or near, floodwaters.
• Help estimate and prepare when your home may be flooded or when evacuation routes may be cut.
• If isolated by floodwater, contact the state emergency services for assistance.
• Prepare pets for evacuation and ensure other animals away from the home are safe.
• Secure objects that are likely to float and cause damage.
• Relocate waste containers, chemicals, and poisons well above predicted water level.
• Block toilets and floor drains.
• Keep in contact with your neighbours.
• Act early to be safe.

4. Identify three things you would include in your emergency kit.   Possible Answers:

• radio (battery or wind-up)
• torch (battery or wind-up)
• spare batteries for radio and torch
• first aid kit
• rubber gloves and strong leather work or gardening gloves
• mobile phone and charger
• waterproof bag or container
• a good supply of everyone’s medicines and prescriptions
• strong shoes or boots
• a copy of your home or business emergency plan
• special needs for babies, the disabled or elderly, and/or
• enough non-perishable food and drinking water for every person (and pets) for 3 days.

Making a household emergency plan is one of the most important things you can do to increase your disaster resilience. You have acquired knowledge and skills that will help you to do this. You have identified the hazards that exist in your area and you have learned where to find important information on emergency planning, preparedness and response. You are now ready to take what you have learned and use it to increase disaster resilience in your household by making an emergency plan. Using one of the plan templates for bushfire or flood have a go at writing a plan with your family.

• SES Home Emergency Plan
• CFA Bushfire Survival Plan

Some students’ families might already have an emergency plan. Encourage them to revisit their plan with their family because it might include things that they have previously overlooked. Their family could end up with a new and improved plan.

Some students may experience challenges with completing a family’s household plan, but encourage them to give it a go.

• Floodsafe and Stormsafe online games.
• Build an emergency kit game

Recap on the lesson with emphasis on that fact that when we prepare, plan and act to protect ourselves from a natural hazard it increases our disaster resilience.

Lesson learning intentions:

• KNOW: How to locate information online about what people can do to reduce the impacts of hazards.
• UNDERSTAND: The preparation and planning required to reduce hazard impacts and increase resilience.
• DO: Demonstrate how to find online information about the variety of actions and knowledge required to become more disaster resilient.

What are two things you will include in your emergency kit?