Shire Administration Office

Emergency Preparation Resources

You can’t get back what you’ve lost. 

Mental Health Safety & Support

Mental health matters. Seek help at a resource below - many of these organisations and mental health supporters offer 24 hour communication, available via phone call, text, or online chat. 

Are you concerned for someone or even yourself, who may be at risk of domestic or family violence? Here are places that you can find help, or people you can contact:

Animals & Pets

The following information comes from the Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES).

It’s the responsibility of animal owners and caretakers to plan ahead for emergencies to keep their animals safe. This includes livestock, horses, pets, and wildlife.

When preparing your property for natural hazards, you also need to consider your pets and livestock in your household’s emergency plan.

• Ensure that your pets have a name tag or microchip or that you have a recent photo of them with you, and that stock registers for your livestock are current.
• Ask your local government if there are pet or livestock welfare arrangements in place during an emergency.
• The best way to protect your pet is to move them to a safer area in advance. This may mean taking them to relatives, friends, animal boarding facilities or to a temporary animal shelter or evacuation centre which accepts animals.
• Allow for the special needs of some animals.
• When relocating your pets make sure that you supply:

• Sufficient non-perishable pet food for several days and feed/water bowls.
• A leash, possibly a muzzle or a carry-cage, bag, or box.
• Toilet litter or old newspapers.
• Essential medications, medical history, and vet contact details.

Prepare your property 

By preparing your property, you can make it easier to care for the welfare of your animals in an emergency. This may include:

• Fitting gates on internal fences to avoid moving stock along public roads.
• Mark gates and water locations on a map of your property. Have this map available in case someone must move the livestock for you.
• Identifying areas of the house where smaller companion animals would be able to take shelter.

Evacuating without your pets

If you are unable to move your pets in advance and are unable to take them with you, take the following precautions to help keep them safe:

• If possible, leave your pets indoors, if they must be left outside, do not tie them up.
• Place pets (separated) in rooms which have small or preferably no windows.
• Provide adequate food and water in large heavy bowls that can’t be tipped over. A slow-dripping tap can supply a constant source of water.
• In the case of flood, position a heavy chair or crate to allow access to higher refuge such as benches, vanity units or shelves where adequate food and water should be left.
• Provide toilet litter where appropriate and separate bedding for each pet.
• Leave a note for the emergency services indicating what animals they will encounter in the home, how many, where and how you can be contacted.

Other helpful resources

DFES: Horses & Bushfire (fact sheet)

The Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development (DPIRD) has a wide range of information about caring for pets and livestock, especially during a natural disaster - visit the DPIRD website to learn more.

DPIRD: Animal Welfare

Livestock & Wildlife

Financial Assistance

You can contact the Department of Communities for assistance via 1800 032 965, or visit their website:

Department of Communities

Alternatively, you can also apply for a Crisis Payment online through Services Australia. This could provide you with a one-off non-taxable payment if you’ve experienced an extreme circumstance and are in severe financial hardship.

Services Australia

Land Management

The Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development (DPIRD) is available for those with a farm and who are recovering after being affected by bushfires. 

DPIRD

For those who are concerned about local rivers and creeks, you can refer to the Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC) via the website below for information and resources, including on fencing revegetation.

Lower Blackwood LCDC

BlazeAid is a volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. Working alongside the rural families, these volunteers provide labour and tools to assist with rebuilding fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed. To get in touch with BlazeAid, please visit their website below or contact the Shire.

BlazeAid

Power & Utilities

It’s likely that your gas, electricity and water have been shut off or disconnected during an emergency. You will need to wait for the suppliers to send a qualified tradesperson to inspect and repair any damage, plus arrange for reconnection. If you are insured, your insurance company can organise this for you. If you are not, you will need to sort this out yourself.

Western Power

You may be able to make a claim and receive compensation if you lost power for over 12 hours during an unplanned outage.  has plenty of information and advice available on how to prepare for an outage.

Outages

Make a Claim

Healthy WA

The state Department of Health (Healthy WA) has resources and information on what you can do if your drinking water is unsuitable for consumption, including advice for rainwater tanks.

Healthy WA 

Water Supply in a Bushfire

The following information comes from Water Corporation.

While leaving high-risk bushfires is the safest option, if you plan to stay and defend your home, you must have an INDEPENDENT water supply and pumping capability. This typically requires water tanks of at least 20,000 litres, pump and generator.

This is required as mains water supply and pressure cannot be guaranteed during a bushfire due to the risk of power cuts, fire damage and extreme demand.

Use the Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) resources to develop your personal bushfire plan by visiting the website below. You can also download the My Bushfire Plan app via the App Store or Google Play to access your bushfire plan anytime - even without an internet connection.

My Bushfire Plan (wa.gov.au)

To support bushfire plans, if you have groundwater bore access to surface water, you can take and store emergency water without it counting against your annual entitlement. For more information on this, and for the location of emergency bushfire water supplies in dryland agricultural areas, visit the Department of Water & Environmental Regulation (DWER) website.

Visit the DWER website

Drinking water

Water Corporation recommends you keep a supply of drinking water on hand throughout summer in case your water supply is interrupted.

Assistance for customers affected by bushfire

After a bushfire, Water Corporation can assist you with issues such as damaged water meters and payment difficulties. If you have been affected by bushfire please call 13 13 85.

The Emergency WA website provides emergency information and community safety warnings. Otherwise, call 000 in a life-threatening emergency or the SES on 132 500 for emergency assistance.

Other resources (Water Corporation)

Further information and resources are available on the Water Corporation website, including a live Outages & Works map that shows what is happening live in your area. You can also call their 24/7 line for urgent assistance for faults during emergencies via 13 13 75.

Outages & Works Map

Bushfire Help & Advice

Water Issues Directory & Guides

Public Notice from Water Corporation:

Mains water supply cannot be guaranteed during a bushfire.

Water Corporation is prepared for bushfire season. However, we cannot guarantee that water pressure or water supply will be maintained in the event of a bushfire. Extreme demand, fire damage and power cuts can all result in a total loss of water.

If you plan to stay and defend your property during a bushfire, you must have your own independent water supply and pumping capability. You cannot rely on mains water.

Details and resources about how to prepare for bushfire season can be found at mybushfireplan.wa.gov.au. For warnings and advice visit emergency.wa.gov.au.

Arson & Hazard Information

Irresponsible behaviour towards fire by adults and children is one of the most serious public safety issues confronting governments and communities throughout Australia.

Bush Fire Brigades & Other Resources

If you would like to volunteer to join your local bush fire brigade, contact the particular local brigade directly. You can browse the various documents and information relating to fire and emergency management, safety, and bush fire brigades below.