Logan City Council is encouraging residents to spend 30 minutes this week preparing for storms, flooding and other emergencies as Get Ready Queensland Week returns from October 5 to 11.
Mayor Jon Raven said Get Ready Week was all about helping people take simple steps now that could make a big difference later.
"Almost every year we see people scrambling to get ready when an extreme weather warning is issued, but the best time to prepare is before the weather turns bad," Mayor Raven said.
"Getting ready doesn't have to be complicated. Understand your risks, have a plan, pack a kit and know where to find reliable information.
"Small actions, such as checking your emergency kit, making sure you have important documents handy and talking to your family about what you'd do during an emergency can make a difference."
Residents are reminded to:
- Understand your risks by knowing how disasters could affect your family, pets and property.
- Prepare a household emergency plan, including whether you can stay home or need to evacuate, where you would go and what you would take.
- Have an emergency kit with essential supplies such as food, medication, nappies and water in case you lose power, water or gas, or cannot get supplies from the shops for several days.
- Keep your property well maintained by cleaning gutters, trimming trees and securing loose items.
- Mayor Raven said many people overlooked the importance of preparing for their animals.
"Our furbabies, hoofbabies and featherbabies are part of the family too," he said.
"Make sure your emergency kit includes food, water, medication, leads, carriers and anything else they might need if you have to leave home or services are disrupted."
Council's crisis and disaster management team will be out in the community throughout the week, sharing advice, resources and information to help residents get ready.
Families with young children can join the team for a special Get Ready story time at Riverdale Park, Meadowbrook, on October 6 from 9.30am to 10.30am, where preparedness and resilience will be explored in a fun and engaging way.
Council staff are also hosting a pop-up at Petbarn Underwood on Saturday, October 10 from 9am-12pm, where residents can learn about including pets in emergency plans, understanding local risks, preparing emergency kits and all the tools available through Logan Early Warning and the Disaster Dashboard.
Mayor Raven encouraged residents to make use of Council's preparedness tools.
"The Logan Disaster Dashboard and Logan Early Warning service are two of the most useful tools available to residents," he said.
"When conditions change quickly, trusted local information can help keep you and your family safe."
